Assemblymember Rodriguez Successfully Secures $1.9 Million in Funding for CTE Center at the Pomona Fairplex

(Sacramento, CA) – Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona) has successfully allocated funding in the State Budget that will greatly benefit the 53rd Assembly District. Specifically, the budget includes $1.924 million to fully fund the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) at the Fairplex. 

“As a lifelong Pomona resident, I am incredibly proud to bring home nearly $2 million to enable the next generation of leaders to reach their career goals. Growing up in the Southside of Pomona, I was not aware of available resources to help further my education or develop special skills. That is why I have fought throughout my tenure in the Legislature to bring these resources back to the 53rd Assembly District,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez. 

This funding will support CTEC classroom improvements for high-quality learning environments for career readiness, aligning coursework with rigorous academic standards and current workforce demands, and contextual learning to help students connect their education to relevant career opportunities and life goals.

CTEC provides technical skills training that supplements the local high school curriculum to help high school students stay in school, graduate on time, go on to entry-level employment, and obtain industry certifications, internships, formal job training, or additional career-technical education.

“State funding will support the educational programming of The Learning Centers at Fairplex (TLC), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, which has offered years of service in providing educational resources to Pomona and the San Gabriel Valley. Specifically, the funding will help strengthen our Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways, which provide workforce development courses that prepare local high school students for long-term career pathways (Automotive Technology, Welding and Urban Agriculture). Through hands-on classroom instruction by credentialed instructors, engagement with industry experts from the surrounding communities, and interaction with professional environments, our CTEC pathways provide innovative learning experiences that give students the necessary skills to enter the workforce or continue on the pathway of higher education. The funding will help strengthen and expand our facilities, learning tools, and technology to provide local youth a high-quality career readiness program,” added Roberto Viramontes, Executive Director, The Learning Centers at Fairplex.

Assemblymember Rodriguez (Twitter) represents the 53rd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Upland. He is Chair of the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management.