Quick Take
Cabrillo College celebrated one of its largest graduating classes this year, including the first cohort to complete its new apprenticeship program in computer science, community health and education pathways. Among them was Chris Yepez, a former warehouse worker who, after completing an apprenticeship with Nerd By Night, secured a full-time job with a starting salary of $62,000.
After sustaining a work injury at his warehouse job in 2019 that left him with a concussion, Chris Yepez, 29, realized he wanted to change his career path and began taking classes at Cabrillo College the following year.
Last year, one of his teachers recommended he enroll in a new apprenticeship program at Cabrillo with a computer science pathway. This week, after serving as an apprentice with Nerd By Night, he’s getting ready to start his first day full-time at the information technology business, where he’ll be a tier I residential tech with a starting income of $62,000.
Yepez thinks if it weren’t for the apprenticeship program, he’d be in the middle of applying for jobs. Instead, about a month ago, the owner of the business offered him a job.
“I was happy,” he said. “I was really hoping it would come to that.”
Yepez is part of the first cohort to complete Cabrillo’s apprenticeship program, which this past year launched its first three career pathways, in computer information systems, community health work and education. Of the 27 apprentices currently enrolled, 11 earned their certificates this year, including Yepez.
“It was extremely valuable because it gave me the opportunity to get pretty good hands-on experience as to my career,” he said. “Not only did it give me experience, but it really gave me that confidence to show myself that I made a good choice personally with this career.”
Yepez was also one of the 1,599 Cabrillo College students to graduate this year – meaning they earned enough credits to complete an associate degree. Hundreds of students, including many of those graduates, as well as students who earned enough credits to transfer to a four-year university, are also heading to a range of California State Universities and University of California schools. Students who chose to participate in the graduation ceremony on Friday celebrated at Carl Conely Stadium on the college’s Aptos campus.
Cabrillo’s career development director, Desha Staley-Raatior, who oversees the apprenticeship program, said it provides Cabrillo students a way to earn money while gaining experience in the career they’re pursuing. More than 70% of Cabrillo students are already working in jobs and in many cases they’re unrelated to their careers they’re pursuing, she said. This program helps some students continue to earn money and also gain industry work experience.
“They’re making money, going to school and gaining experience in their field of study,” she said. “The goal is to have a livable wage here in Santa Cruz, which we know is challenging.”
Participants in the program are required to take at least one course at Cabrillo while they work part-time or full-time with one of the businesses partnering with the college. For computer and information systems, participants can apprentice with Bandit Systems, Cabrillo College, Madrone MSP or Nerd By Night – where Yepez was placed and will be starting his full-time job this week.
During his busiest weeks this past year, Yepez worked up to 30 hours a week helping customers set up computers, moving customers’ data from one device to another or fixing internet issues. At the same time, he was completing the remaining courses that are part of the requirements for his degree and the apprenticeship. At the start of the apprenticeship, he was getting paid $25 an hour; by his eighth month, his hourly wage was up to $40.
Yepez had a head start on the course requirements as he had already planned over the past couple of years to complete a degree in computer support. He needed only one last course this year: tech support as a profession.
Apprentices have to complete 30 units of coursework to complete the education program, while participants in the computer and information systems and community health worker programs are required to take 16 units. Depending on the individual student’s schedule and the program, apprentices could take six months to two years to complete their requirements.
Community health worker participants can work at Salud Para La Gente, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Raices Y Cariño, People First or Encompass Community Services. Participants in the education pathway can apprentice at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County and Midtown Montessori.
Staley-Raatior said the college hopes to launch two additional programs for early childhood education and nursing, with funding to develop them from the California Apprenticeship Initiative through California Community Colleges.
Staley-Raatior said the program is not meant for only currently enrolled Cabrillo students, but also for employees at these partnering businesses who want to expand their skills and training and potentially return to school to earn a degree.
Nine of the apprentices who completed the program this year are community health worker participants who were already employees at Encompass. Encompass is a local nonprofit that provides a wide range of health services for early childhood, youth and adults including mental health and substance use support or housing.
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