CalWORKs (California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids) is a job-training program that provides welfare-to-work services to students who receive Temporary Aide for Needy Families (TANF, former AFDC). CalWORKs offers, education, training, employment skills and career education to assist students to become gainfully employed. Services include vocational training, adult basic education, GED preparation, English as a Second Language, intake/orientations, counseling, case management, work study, work experience, on-the-job training, career education, personal development/life skills, job development, job readiness, mentoring and post employment services. Formerly operated solely as the GAIN program, the program now serves County Department of Public Social Services GAIN referrals (6-12 months) and Self-Initiated Participants (SIPS 18-24 months) amounting to over 3,500 students each year. GAIN/CalWORKs classes, which also are listed under various departments, are funded by TANF and offered based on current labor trends and industry needs. They include short term classes and programs that lead to certificate and associate degrees programs such as Child Development, Keyboarding, Microcomputer / Data Entry, Floral Design, Network Cabling, Fiber Optics, Introduction to Culinary Arts, Introduction to Baking, Certified Nurse Aide, Home Health Aide, In-Home Support Services and Customer Service, Adult Basic Skills, GED Preparation, ESL and Vocational ESL.

Personnel - At this time there are one full-time faculty, 11 part-time faculty, one full-time classified staff member, three part-time classified staff members, two short-term employees and one student employee assigned to the department.

Equipment - At this time, three copiers in the department are in need of repair, two lap-top computers and one laser color printer need to be replaced, and two lateral file cabinets are needed.

Facilities - The location of the GAIN/CalWORKs office is adequate, while the size and condition of the office space is not. It is too small, the entrance is hazardous to fire safety, the counter is too close to the doorway, there is not enough waiting room space so students are waiting in the hallway, and there is insufficient privacy for counselors to meet with students.

Future Program

The program is affected by the economic and social conditions of the county, including factors such as the unemployment rate, so the size and functions of the program vary by State funding. It is expected that the size of the program in the mid term (five years) and in the long term (ten years) will increase at the same rate as the overall college enrollment.

Personnel - See Projected Faculty and Staff Needs.

Equipment - Within five years 14 computers with updated software will need to be replaced, and 25 to 30 new computers will be needed for hands-on classroom instruction in a Career Resource Lab. Also needed for the lab are overhead projectors, audio-visual equipment, lap top computers for instructors, and six work tables.

Facilities - In the mid term (five years) the following facilities are needed to operate the program efficiently and effectively: a larger reception/intake/waiting area, individualized counseling areas, a private office for the coordinator, special areas for co-located community-based partners such as EDD, DPSS, etc., a Career Resource Lab featuring computerized instruction for workshops, lectures, labs, online and distance learning, and classrooms for lecture and Personal Development classes, and an audio/visual-ready area for orientations of large (50 to 100) groups.

Staff Development - Ongoing workshops are needed in the following areas: customer service, in-service training, and personal enrichment.