This semester, students at the Regional Occupational Center (ROC) and the Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) are closing the textbooks and stepping into the community.
Through a network of over 200 businesses and industry partners, students gain valuable experiences through unpaid internship opportunities known as community classrooms. By preparing students for future career success, this educational initiative is paving the way for our county’s workforce, particularly in the booming logistics and distribution sector.
Early in the year, students enrolled in the year-long Distribution and Logistics program at CTEC learn about the day-to-day operations of warehouses and distribution centers. The program’s classroom includes a 10,000-square-foot warehouse laboratory equipped with eight different forklifts, allowing students to obtain certifications and hands-on experience essential to the industry.
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Program instructor Mitchell Morretti aims for his students to obtain invaluable skills to meet the demands of the rapid growth of warehouse and distribution centers in Kern County. From understanding how products flow through a supply chain to operating a forklift and following safety protocols, students are then able to take these skills and apply them in the workplace.
“Kern County is rapidly becoming one of the largest distribution hubs in the entire nation,” said Moretti. “Students who are taking this program and entering this field are going to have numerous career opportunities.”
During the second semester, ROC and CTEC students transition from the classroom to a community classroom where they have the unique opportunity to apply what they learned to a real-world setting. Through collaborations and partnerships with industry leaders such as the Quinn Company, students also gain firsthand insights into the various career paths available to them.
“It’s personal to me because I started as a warehouse worker and worked my way up through the ranks and became a branch manager several years ago,” said Mike Ford, Quinn Company branch manager. “That’s a starting point for everybody. It’s an entry-level job, but if you apply yourself, work hard, and give it more opportunity - you can make a career out of it.”
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Four days out of the week, Moretti’s students are transported across town to various businesses in the logistics industry, where they learn how to navigate the warehouse floor and manage inventory. At the Quinn Company, students are paired with an experienced employee learning the ins and outs of shipping and receiving.
“It’s really different, to be honest,” said junior Andres Torres. “At CTEC, I am working with students, but compared to here I am working with adults.”
By being immersed in a real-world workplace setting, students are not only equipped with practical skills, but are also honing in on their soft skills, including effective communication with coworkers and managers, punctuality, and the ability to take initiative during periods of reduced workload. In addition, students gain valuable insights that help them clarify their career aspirations after high school.
“It’s comforting because you are not really stressing as much to find out what you want to do or what you are going to do after high school,” said junior Sawyer Stone. “You kind of get an idea before leaving high school of what you want to do and what you do and don’t like.”
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Upon completing community classrooms, industry partners are frequently impressed by the skills and work ethic of ROC and CTEC students, where they are often offered full-time employment after high school graduation. Last year, former student Efren Madera secured a full-time position with the Quinn Company and is currently pursuing his passion for diesel mechanics through the company's ThinkBIG training program.
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“Honestly, I was having a hard time in high school thinking and seeing if it would work out, but after all, it worked out great,” said Madera. “The hard work actually paid off. I am very thankful.”
As Kern County continues to grow in innovation and opportunity, the impact programs like CTEC’s Distribution and Logistics will play an important role in shaping the next generation of professionals. Madera is one of the many student success stories resulting from the ROC and CTEC community classroom education initiative of preparing students for college and career success.
