Los Angeles Southwest College is developing a 2+2+2 model for its new Associate of Science program in Environmental Science and Technology that is focused on sustainability and alternative energy. This project primarily impacts high school and two-year college students and faculty members. LASC is partnering with local high schools, regional universities, labor, businesses, and regulators to build capacity in the fields of Sustainability and Environmental Science and Technology. The project has several objectives: 1) Strengthen partnerships with industry and businesses to develop programming that integrates industry standards and workplace competencies and addresses the growing regional demand for a trained green/sustainability workforce; 2) Offer an Educator Training Institute for secondary and post-secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators; 3) Develop seven courses for an Environmental Science and Technology Associate Degree program and incorporate sustainability into existing STEM curriculum; 4) Partner with local high schools and regional universities to articulate courses and develop career pathways to support the transition of students across the education and career advancement continuum; 5) Develop a Community Outreach Plan that increases participation of high school students and adults, particularly those from under-represented groups, in STEM and the field of Environmental Science and Technology; and 6) Evaluate the program model, disseminate project deliverables regionally, and encourage replication.
