From early in the morning, the facilities and staff of Southwestern College's Higher Education Center welcomed the arrival of hundreds of students from several local high schools.
Upon our arrival at the Otay Mesa facilities, they were ready to instruct young people on rescue and aid techniques, right at the entrance of the campus, from emergency response training academies.
As they ventured into the new facilities, young people approached the modules to request information about the technical careers offered in this educational unit.
But let's let the director of the campus, Silvia Cornejo, explain the educational options available to twelfth-grade high school students who will soon take on the challenge of higher education.
What is the goal of today's event? She was asked:
"It is an event in which we invite the community, and especially students from the high schools here in southern San Diego, to explore programs that Southwestern College offers, specifically on the Otay Mesa campus, which focus on different programs such as nursing, as well as services such as firefighter, police, and paramedic academies."
Reporter: What kinds of careers are taught here?
Silvia Cornejo: "They are technical careers that, depending on the program chosen by the students, in as little as a year, they can obtain different certificates to obtain a job."
"So many of the students who choose these short technical programs, enroll in the program, complete that technical training, start working, and then they can also continue studying until they transfer to the university, but they already have a career; they already have an income."
Do they have two options: one is to work at the technician level, or the other is to continue and do so by transfer?
Silvia Cornejo: "Exactly, and Southwestern College offers both."
Reporter: How many specialties do you have here?
Silvia Cornejo: "On this campus, we offer the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program, as well as the Paramedic program, the Fire Academy, and the Police Academy, and in the nursing area, we have everything called the Certified Nursing Assistant and the nursing assistants who specialize in surgery."
