Keck School of Medicine of USC Young Adult Workforce Academy prepares high school graduates for vocational pathways

The end of high school can be stressful for students who have not figured out their next steps. What options are available after graduation if a traditional four-year college is not on the horizon?

To help guide youth who face this predicament and as a response to supporting young adults who had spent their vital years of high school formation in distance learning or social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stakeholders from the Keck School of Medicine of USC came together to focus on community wellbeing. Dean Carolyn C. Meltzer, MD, together with Associate Dean for Community and Workforce Development Initiatives Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, and a task force comprised of various departments created the Keck School of Medicine of USC Young Adult (YA) Workforce Academy.

The initiative, which has been in existence for the past three years, responds to workforce development needs identified by community members. Through this community initiative housed within the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, participants gain a better understanding of how to prepare for vocational careers paths through hands-on training, while identifying their own goals and passions.

“There were numerous requests from families inquiring about university resources beyond college prep to provide the local community with workforce training,” says Patricia Escobedo, PhD, a research scientist and lecturer in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine and associate director of the YA Workforce Academy.

In the summer of 2024, 20 young people from communities surrounding USC Health Sciences Campus in Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, Boyle Heights, and East Los Angeles, completed four weeks paid training program. Working alongside Escobedo in the academy was Rosa Barahona, as chief executive operations officer, and Letech Caldera-Huerta, as community liaison.

The program was designed for young people ages 18 to 24 who recently graduated from high school and were weighing their options. “This is not exclusively a pipeline for college, but an opportunity to explore several viable vocational career paths. Through mentorship and guidance, the four-week program offers students an opportunity to develop career-related skills through real-world experiences,” explained Escobedo.

“For me a big part of this program was how we used resources not just at USC but worked closely with our community partners, including the Weingart YMCA and East Los Angeles College to provide young people with workforce training,” says Escobedo. “Through a full-time paid internship, participants engaged in numerous activities and received certificates on a variety of areas.”

The first component was developing workforce readiness skills, which included resume writing, interview skills, job searches, and networking, which were taught by instructors from East Los Angeles College (ELAC). This also included lessons on financial literacy, how to interpret paychecks and statutory deductions, compound interest, and budgeting. A second component was skill building by earning workforce certifications, which included certifications in First Aid and CPR, Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), and a California ServSafe Food Handlers certification. A third component was work site visits, including the Keck Hospital of USC and Los Angeles Trade Tech College (LATTC). The last component was a 30-hour community service requirement, which included food distribution at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA in Boyle Heights.

The program had a tremendous impact at the community level. “At the end of the program, the students genuinely felt empowered,” shares Escobedo. “The biggest change I noticed was their confidence and knowledge base. They learned how to submit job applications and what to expect in an interview. They were able to network in different spaces. Many of them were looking for opportunities and now they have earned different certifications that could be used to apply to different jobs.”

The program has already received increasing interest for next summer. “Our graduates are already referring their friends and family members and encouraging them to apply—I think they saw positive outcomes! I hope the program continues to expand and incorporate more off-site visits and community exploration because the students had a great time. They interacted with our guest speakers, introduced themselves, asked about opportunities, and learned how to network. These interactions allowed them to get out of the classroom and apply the soft skills they were learning,” affirms Escobedo.

“Through this program, I have met young people who are still figuring out their passions and we have helped them on their career and academic pathways. This has been something that I have truly enjoyed. Working with young people to navigate their professional and educational pathways is something that I missed doing when I was in graduate school. Before graduate school I worked as a Program Director in Los Angeles for a non-profit that helped local high school students graduate, matriculate and explore different career options, so when the opportunity came for me to be involved in this program, I was excited to help make their journey a little bit easier,” concludes Escobedo.