From 2015 to 2016, the Career Ladders Project provided technical assistants to Skyline College’s Career Advancement Academies. CLP supported with faculty exchange across CAA sites including site visits and peer mentoring. CLP also advised Skyline leadership, their partners, various boards, and coordinators with strategic alignments of CAA programs across the San Mateo County Community College District. Part of the work with Skyline included documenting student stories and their experiences to produce one pagers and videos of student voices. The CAAs were implemented in four community college regions; San Francisco, SF East Bay, Central Valley, and the greater Los Angeles region. The CAAs were initiated and funded by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) in 2007.
MYLENE MAGALLANES
Skyline College – Allied Health
Mylene was working part-time and expecting a child when she first enrolled at Skyline College. Her goal was to become an accountant, but the pre-requisite courses didn’t inspire her; she felt uncertain about her direction. After taking a new job at Mills Peninsula Health Services as a newborn hearing screener, however, Mylene was drawn to a career in nursing. “When I started working, I saw how the healthcare professionals worked with families and made differences in people’s lives,” she says. “I chose health as a pathway because I always wanted a career that would last a lifetime, and I wanted to make a difference where it really mattered.”
SHANNON FOX
Skyline College – Surgical Technology
In June of 2015, Shannon Fox wore her first graduation cap and gown. As a member of the Allied Health Career Advancement Academy (CAA) at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, Shannon crossed the stage to receive her Associate of Science Degree in Surgical Technology while her family cheered her on.
Entering college was a big step for Shannon, who earned her GED after working in banking for 11 years. After witnessing the medical care her father received, Shannon realized that her heart and passion were in the medical field.