Cerritos College Receives $1.5 Million Clean Transportation Grant to Prepare a Skilled Clean Energy Workforce

Cerritos College’s Advanced Transportation and Logistics Center (ATL) received $1.5 million from the California Energy Commission (CEC). The College received $1-million grant in 2017 and another $1-million grant in 2019 from CEC to develop clean fuel training programs for high schools in underserved communities, regions impacted by poor air quality, and those serving minority populations.

The grant is part of the California Energy Commission’s initiative to grow and increase clean transportation. Since its inception, the College’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Career Pilot Programs have funded 28 high schools, served approximately 1,800 students each year, and trained 36 high school and community college faculty members for the new electric vehicle curriculum. The additional grant will allow the College to expand its pilot programs to more high schools, and include training for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

Cerritos College’s ATL has a proven record of successfully training workforce in clean transportation field. Through its existing energy academies and career technical education pathways, ATL is uniquely qualified to increase workforce interest for clean transportation through hands-on training with advanced vehicle technologies. These efforts will focus on underserved communities and assist students with a pathway choice that gives them an opportunity to matriculate into college training programs, increasing their opportunities for greater personal economic success and serve this new field's growth needs. 

"We have funded 28 high schools and increased career awareness for the growing electric vehicle field,” said Jannet Malig, Sector Navigator, Advanced Transportation and Logistics. “These high schools, located in disadvantaged communities, are now teaching the most current technologies to students. With the additional grant, we look to expand the opportunities to more high school students to be a skilled workforce.”