By Melisa Valenzuela
East Los Angeles College Academic Senate discussed a new proposal that would improve online Career Technological Education Pathways to benefit students going from business to law careers.
Pauletta Daw, coordinator for ELAC’s Distance Education Program, introduced the proposal to the senate. With help from “The California Virtual Campus-Online Education Initiative, Improving Online CTE Pathways” grant, ELAC would be able to implement a new program called “Business to Law Expressway” that would offer students a clear, educational program map that includes a specific sequence of courses and internship opportunities that will lead to a legal career.
These courses were not available online previously and the knowledge and skills taught in them are required by four-year universities and/or the labor market which ensures that the students are able to continue their studies and advance in their careers.
Daw said that one of the goals of the program is accessibility and students would be able to access their online courses, their professor, course content, online workshops, lectures, assignments and projects anytime and anywhere.
In addition to the educational map, or pathway, students will be able to earn two new Business to Law certificates, Legal Support Professional Achievement Certificate and Global International Trade Achievement Certificate, which are recognized by the State of California Community College System.
BLE has also partnered with companies to give students valuable on-the-job experience with local law offices, access to workshops on the topic of communication, procedures in a law office, mock law office situations, legal assistance, court clerk, jury selection, legal argument, client interview, paralegal, scheduling, record-keeping secretary, investigation and access to local attorneys to discuss possibilities of a business law career.
BLE is a collaboration between the departments of business, english, philosophy and communication, as well as administrators, High School Outreach, Guided Pathways, classified staff and the Distance Education Program.
“Students who are too busy will be able to take courses online that were not available online before,” says Mei-Lee Wan, Online Technical Support Assistant for the Distance Education Program. “The program gets everyone involved and will benefit everyone, not just the student,” Wan said.
The BLE proposal has yet to pass, but has so far gained support from ELAC’s Academic Senate and other faculty members.