February 04, 2025
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
Contact: Phillip Sanfield
Office: 310-732-3568
E-mail: psanfield@portla.org
Memorandum of Understanding Focuses on Building Skills and Career Paths in Goods Movement Industry, Environmental Stewardship
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Port of Los Angeles have signed an agreement to collaborate on initiatives to better prepare community college students for careers in the evolving goods movement industry. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) brings together the resources of the college system, which is the largest provider of workforce training in the nation, with America’s busiest container port.
The MOU focuses on critical issues facing the maritime industry, including zero-emission operations, decarbonization, environmental stewardship and changing technologies, and incorporates opportunities for communities across Southern California to receive training to obtain the skills necessary to fill the career needs in these areas.
“The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office partnership with the Port of Los Angeles, a large employer in the region, will help position our colleges to support students for good jobs and careers in the climate economy. This collaboration exemplifies Vision 2030’s focus on Workforce and Economic Development recognizing that employer engagement is an essential component,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian.
“The goal of this MOU is to provide students with the education, skills, and pathways they’ll need for future careers in our industry,” said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “The impetus behind this partnership is to ensure that our local colleges remain up to date with changing technologies, and that students are prepared for future job opportunities as our industry evolves.”
Partnership activities outlined in this MOU include:
- Collaborating on how to create career path opportunities for community college students
- Improved job-seeking processes for community college students and alumni, especially in high-demand job categories
- More opportunities for community college students to participate in user experiences and research activities
- Port informational sessions at community college career centers
- Providing Port experts for career and recruitment fairs on community college campuses
“This partnership demonstrates how education and industry can work together to create strategic career pathways for our students. By collaborating with the Port of Los Angeles, we are providing community college students with direct access to cutting-edge training and career opportunities in the rapidly evolving logistics and supply chain sector,” said Interim Chancellor Alberto J. Román, Los Angeles Community College District. “This initiative not only strengthens workforce development but also underscores our commitment to economic mobility—equipping students with the skills needed to excel in high-demand, sustainable careers that drive California’s economy.”
Partnerships like this one are vital to the California Community Colleges’ Vision 2030 which prioritizes skill building for jobs that pay living wages. The system serves the largest and most diverse student body in California higher education, making community colleges pivotal in developing the state’s workforce while strengthening its society and economy.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 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 2030, a strategic plan designed to improve student success, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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