September 29, 2023
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: mvillarin@cccco.edu
Margitte Kristjansson
Office: 619-548-4304
Office E-mail: mkristjansson@udwa.org
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Community Colleges and the United Domestic Workers (UDW) have announced a partnership to support the training and ongoing education needs of the union’s members and their dependents that will lead to educational pathways with upward socio-economic mobility.
The three-year partnership aims to dismantle barriers often faced by UDW’s more than 171,000 members, most of which are women and people of color, and construct educational pathways for them. This will be done by ensuring engagement, enrollment and equitable student success is individualized.
“We are excited to enter this partnership with UDW, as we share a common mission—to cultivate an inclusive, sustainable and resilient economy in California,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. “UDW represents a traditionally underserved workforce, but it’s a workforce eager to advance their skills and knowledge. And with this partnership, California’s community colleges will be able to meet this workforce where they are, bringing training and instruction to them.”
UDW is made up of home care and family childcare providers across the state of California. Seventy-eight percent of union members are women, 42% are Latino, 18% are Asian and 8% are Black. The union is not only committed to its diverse population, but also the communities in which members live.
“At UDW we don’t just focus on our members’ wages and benefits, we empower workers and strengthen communities,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “Too often our members live in communities that are overlooked, underfunded and overpoliced. We believe in a future where every single one of us can thrive—and we start by inspiring our members to be a part of that change.”
This partnership aligns with the California Community Colleges Vision 2030. A core value of the strategic vision is to partner with statewide community-based organizations to bring workforce training to low-income adults and provide Californians instruction through flexible modalities.
Under the agreement, California Community Colleges has committed to developing educational pathways for UDW members and assisting members with credit for prior learning and non-credit options that lead to an educational credential. While UDW has committed to partner to provide support such as childcare, emergency housing, textbooks and other necessary instructional materials and supplies. UDW will also work with employers to ensure members’ educational goals are prioritized to incorporate experiential learning. Together this partnership leverages the reach of California’s 116 community colleges and the talents of hard-working Californians.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 1.8 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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