Workforce & Economic Development

VISION: To be the premier institution that engages every student in high quality, rigorous and relevant education and training that promotes creativity, innovation, leadership, community service and lifelong learning.

MISSION: To develop and deliver education and training that meets the needs of students, employers, and workers and engages them in lifelong learning over the course of their careers.

Santa Monica College (SMC) is dedicated to bridging the gap between market needs and workforce abilities. The college specializes in preparing students with the workplace and technical skills they need for employability, job retention and career enhancement. Committed to the West Side region’s economic growth and its global competitiveness, SMC administers multiple economic development grants and workforce participation projects from a variety of government funding sources to enhance Santa Monica College’s programs and services.

Our grant funded projects are dedicated to workforce skills upgrades and business expansion they enable the College to enhance its full complement of services, including assessment, career technical education, training in workplace skills, internships, and customized training to meet the needs of business and industry. Understanding that a strong partnership must exist between education and industry, SMC collaborates with local businesses through industry advisory councils composed of business executives and representatives, college administrators and faculty experts. This collaboration ensures that SMC’s curricula meets and exceeds industry standards.

With an enrollment of nearly 32,000 students, SMC is among the largest of California’s 109 community colleges and the number one transfer institution to the UC system. SMC provides education and training in 12 career and technical education programs, in addition to offering associate of arts degrees in 80 fields of study. The College’s fully certified faculty is committed to providing the level of education needed by students to successfully advance to four-year institutions or directly into the job market.

For more information about Workforce & Economic Development, please contact us at:
(310) 434-4199