(Santa Ana, CA) - Rancho Santiago Canyon Community College District (RSCCD) has named Jetza Torres director of special programs for the Business & Career Technical Education Division at Santiago Canyon College (SCC). In this role, Torres is responsible for managing SCC’s Strong Workforce Program.
In 2016, the statewide Strong Workforce Program was funded by the governor and the state legislature to create one million additional middle-level workers across the state. Through the annual recurring $200 million investment, Strong Workforce Programs are funded at local community college districts and at the regional level. The purpose of the program is to improve the quality and increase the number of career technical education programs statewide. By enrolling more students and encouraging course completion, regional economies will be fueled with more skilled workers.
Torres’ duties include collaborating with kindergarten through high school educators, as well as sector leaders in various industries, and labor representatives within the region with the goal increasing the number of students enrolled in the SCC CTE (Career Technical Education) programs. She will also work with RSCCD’s economic and workforce development programs to ensure that the college programs are responsive to the needs of employers in order to increase students’ employability and earning potential, write comprehensive reports, as well as review the program’s budget.
With over 10 years’ experience in special programs, Torres brings a diverse range of skills to her role. Most recently, she served as director of special programs for Rancho Santiago international programs. In that role, she worked to support and increase international student enrollment by serving as the point of contact, maintaining community relationships, and overseeing the operations of the RSCCD office located in Guangzhou, China.
Prior to that, she served as the director for International Consortium for Educational and Economic Development (ICEED) where she managed daily operations, led annual conferences, and managed various marketing operations. Previously she served as the director of the Center for International Trade Development, a state-funded program, where she oversaw trade consultants and staff members, and promoted the trade center through various marketing tactics. She also served as the Deputy Sector Navigator –Global Trade & Logistics in Orange County under the Rancho Santiago Community College District where she developed partnerships with business and industry, formed a regional advisory committee comprised of industry leaders in global trade and logistics, worked closely with ROPs, and high schools to collaborate in articulation agreements, and implement the “Doing What Matters” framework of the California Chancellor’s Office.
Torres earned an M.A. in public administration with a concentration in human resources and a B.A. in business administration with a concentration in finance from California State University, Fullerton.
About the Rancho Santiago Community College District
Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which serves the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Santa Ana, Villa Park, and portions of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and Tustin. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, and customized training for business and industry.
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