BACK TO CLASS SIMI'S ADULT SCHOOL OFFERS OPPORTUNITY.Byline: Carolyn Sinclair Special to the Daily News SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - For Scott Morgan Scott Morgan may refer to:
Ten years ago, he took beginning machine technology classes at the school district campus dedicated to vocational training and ultimately ended up in a job at Hughes Aircraft Hughes Aircraft Company was a major aerospace and defense company founded by Howard Hughes. The group was based near Ballona Creek, in Culver City, California, USA, on the Pacific Coast. Hughes Aircraft was acquired by General Motors in 1985. Co. Now, laid off in the latest economic downturn, Morgan is back in class, this time studying computerized technology. ``I learned most of what I know here,'' said Morgan, 43. ``That got me employable.'' In shaky economic times, unemployed workers have rediscovered the Simi Valley Adult School to improve their existing skills or learn new ones. Average daily attendance for all programs was 9,851 for the 2002-2003 school year, and school officials say numbers will be up this year. ``When average daily attendance comes in, we're going to see a surge over last year,'' said Jeanette O'Brien, publications coordinator at the school. ``Welding has a waiting list. When we had real estate appraisal Real estate appraisal An estimate of the value of property using various methods. (courses), 104 people tried to get in to 45 spaces,'' O'Brien said. ``We just don't have the space, that's one of our biggest problems. For cosmetology cos·me·tol·o·gy n. The study or art of cosmetics and their use. [French cosmétologie : cosmétique, cosmetic; see cosmetic + -logie, -logy. (courses) we had to go to a lottery system.'' In teacher Ron Kruzel's surgical technology class, students in gloves and gowns recently paired up, role playing role playing, n in behavioral medicine, learning exercise in which individuals assume characters different from their own. The individual may also be asked to simulate a particularly difficult situation and apply the characteristics that are common to his the part of surgeon and assistant beside a life-size doll patient on a stretcher. By the end of the 14-month program, which includes a hospital internship, the students will be in demand as surgeons' assistants, Kruzel said. ``The job prospects are excellent,'' Kruzel said. ``It's a wide-open field with high demand. After the program, they're eligible to take a certification exam for this profession. They're certainly employable.'' In Tony Marsden's welding class, students learn or polish their skills. From behind protective rubber curtains, brilliant stars of light glow close to the welders' helmeted faces. Wrapped in protective leather smocks, they seemed impervious to the flying sparks of white fire. Erik Coleman Erik Coleman (born May 6, 1982 in Sacramento, California, U.S.) is a safety for the New York Jets football team. He is a graduate of Washington State University. , 32, is learning structure welding. After being laid off from Verizon, he's returned to school to gain the skills to land a better job as a welder for the city of Los Angeles
``I've been offered jobs before I've even finished the program and a lot of (the offers) have to do with the fact that they know I'm from this school and Tony's the instructor,'' Coleman said. An entry-level welder earns about $9.28 per hour, although the average wage is $14.23 per hour, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Ventura County's Workforce Investment Board Workforce Investment Boards (or "WIBs") are regional entities created to implement the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 in the United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. . For a surgical assistant, an entry-level wage is $12.92 per hour with an average of $16.51 per hour. The surgical technology course costs $2,425 to attend, with an additional $1,100 necessary for books and supplies, officials said. The welding course, which lasts four months and prepares a student for a certification test of basic skills, has a total cost of $175. To offset the cost of course fees, some students qualify for Employment Development Department funds from the state or for federal Pell grants. Students range from teenagers to senior citizen and classes include everything from cosmetology to surgical, medical and dental technology. There are also courses in ceramics, welding, painting and computer instruction tailored to senior citizens. Though the content is varied, the goal of most classes is the same: to teach skills to land a better job. ``The goal is to get out and get a job,'' O'Brien said. ``We have good teachers who can definitely impart their expertise and knowledge. We have a career center with academic counselors and a lot of the instructors have (professional) contacts.'' Vocational or otherwise, the variety of courses reaffirms the school's goal of overall life improvement - for students and their families. ``My kids are a little older now,'' said Rebecca Palza, 37, a former dental assistant dental assistant n. A person trained to assist a dentist with clinical and administrative procedures. who attends the surgical technology program. ``I can take time off and return to school full time to provide a better future for them.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color ) Florencio Salvador Jr. practices putting on surgical technician clothes at the Simi Valley Adult School. By the end of the 14-month program students figure to be in demand for a job. (2 -- color) Mark Clemens drills a hole to a chain mount for his bike during a class in machining at the Simi Valley Adult School. (3) Chris Martin This article is about the Coldplay musician. For other people named Chris Martin, see Chris Martin (disambiguation). Christopher Anthony John Martin (born March 2, 1977) is the lead singer, pianist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the popular rock band Coldplay. , inside a yellow plastic screen, practices welding a tube during a class at the Simi SIMI Sea Ice Mechanics Initiative SIMI Search for Intelligent Monkeys on the Internet SIMI Students Islamic Movement in India SIMI Society of Irish Motor Industry SIMI Smallholder Irrigation Markets Initiative adult school. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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