With a new apprenticeship program in Intelligent Transportation Systems, Palomar is training a new class of electricians to connect the roadways of tomorrow.<\/p>\n
SAN MARCOS \u2014 With the rise of \u201csmart cars\u201d and a proliferation of roadway technology enabling safer, smoother commutes, Palomar College is launching a new apprenticeship program this fall to train students in how to install and maintain electronic transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all of that technology built into our roads and transportation systems that you don\u2019t really think about,\u201d said Nichol Roe, Associate Dean, Workforce Development & Extended Studies. \u201cAll of those things that make our intersections more intelligent.\u201d<\/p>\n
As an apprenticeship program, students will enroll in a four- or five-year program that has them working full-time while they take classes, Roe explained. The program is free, with no tuition or fees, but students must pass an entrance exam and screening interview to be admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as they enter the program, they start earning a livable wage, as well as medical benefits and a retirement,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about earning while you learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kevin Johnson, the center\u2019s Training Director, said student apprentices must complete 916 classroom hours and 6,400 on-the-job training hours to graduate. They will learn how to work on traffic signals, speed cameras, walk signs, signal controllers, fiber infrastructure, and various electrical applications, including roadside lighting.<\/p>\n
In most cases, graduates would go to work for contractors that are hired by Caltrans to upgrade city infrastructure: \u201cThey want someone to develop this skilled workforce for the future,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n
All training and classes take place at the San Diego Electrician Training Center, with curriculum developed by Palomar College and approved by the Chancellor\u2019s Office in Sacramento.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the students aren\u2019t necessarily coming to the campus, they\u2019re still held to the same standards,\u201d Roe said. \u201cAnd they also have access to all of Palomar College\u2019s services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon completion, students will receive a Certificate of Achievement from Palomar College and a journeyman\u2019s certificate from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, which is the credential necessary to begin working as a journeyman.<\/p>\n
The program is the college\u2019s eighth apprenticeship program, and the third in partnership with the San Diego Electrician Training Center. Together, Palomar\u2019s apprenticeship programs are projected to serve approximately 1,700 students enrolled in the 2018-19 school year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"