On Thursday, April 4, 2024, the CalOptima Health Board of Directors approved a grant of $2,040,000 through its Provider Workforce Development Initiative to the Coast Community College District to expand the Running Start to Nursing pathway at Golden West College and develop a K–12 pathway to the Radiologic Technology Certificate program at Orange Coast College. The Coast District is matching the grant with $2,710,000 in statewide Strong Workforce grant funds, for a combined $4.75 million.
Using the dual enrollment model, OCC will expand its existing Radiologic Technology and Diagnostic Imaging pathways through a partnership with Santa Ana Unified and Newport Mesa Unified School Districts. This collaboration, in addition to support from CalOptima Health, ensures that students have additional resources for learning, practice, and timely completion of a degree or certificate. This will help students start their careers sooner at a significantly reduced cost as community colleges continue to be the most affordable higher education option with most students qualifying for College Promise fee waivers and other forms of non-loan financial aid.
A major selling point of health programs at Orange Coast College are the strong starting salaries and career earnings in those fields. Radiologic Technologists earn a median of more than $42/hour, beating the Orange County average by nearly 50 percent.
“The health programs at Golden West College and Orange Coast College are exemplars of the persistent innovation we strive for in the Coast District,” said Dr. Whitney Yamamura, Chancellor. “The colleges are in the community, actively identifying our most pressing health workforce needs, and then bringing together the resources of multiple partner agencies to find solutions.”