CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION FOR OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION

THE PURPOSE OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION FOR OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION (CCCAOE) IS TO GENERATE, EXTEND, IMPROVE AND FOSTER ALL ASPECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THE ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE, REPRESENTATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNICATION BY AND BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF, AND FACULTY OF VOCATIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THE NEED FOR THIS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WAS BASED UPON THE COMPLEXITIES OF ADMINISTERING THE WIDE VARIETY OF VOCATIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE NEED TO SHARE CURRENT INNOVATIONS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS AND PROGRAM DIRECTIONS.THE ASSOCIATION SPONSORS TWO (2) STATEWIDE CONFERENCES DURING EACH YEAR. ONE IS HELD IN THE SPRING (APPROXIMATELY APRIL) AND THE OTHER IN THE FALL (APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER). THEY ARE HELD IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH. THE FIELD OF CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATORS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THESE CONFERENCES. THE TOPICS SELECTED FOR PRESENTATION ARE BASED ON THE PERCEIVED NEEDS OF THE FIELD. THE TOPICS ARE RELATED TO ACTIVITIES, ISSUES, CONCEPTS AND DIRECTIONS OF THE PROGRAM OF VOCATIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL/CAREER EDUCATION. IN ADDITION, CCCAOE PROVIDES AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (TYPICALLY JANUARY). THE INTENT IS TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF CAREER EDUCATION. ADDITIONALLY, CCCAOE PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADVOCACY WORK. THE ADVOCACY WORK IS COMPLETED BY INCLUDING COMMUNITY COLLEGE STAFF, CCCAOE MEMBERS, AND STUDENTS AS PART OF THE ADVOCACY TRAINING PROVIDING THE EXPERIENCE OF TALKING/EDUCATING LEGISLATORS AND THEIR STAFF ON CAREER EDUCATION.