Skills Center Class Sign-Ups to Begin

Registration for spring classes will begin Tuesday at the North Valley Occupational Center-Pacoima Skills Center and the following week at the West Valley Occupational Center, officials said.

The spring semester at both schools begins Feb. 2 and ends in June. Students are encouraged to sign up early but may enroll at any time during the term if space permits.

The occupational centers are operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Division of Adult and Career Education. With more than 50 classes each, they offer training in a wide range of industrial trades and business, child care, computers and other subjects. Classes are also offered in GED preparation and English as a second language.

Classes cost from $5 to $70, with most falling in the $35 to $45 range, officials said.

Several new offerings have been added to the schedule at West Valley, including Job Readiness/Marketing Yourself, which helps students assess their skills, write resumes and market themselves to prospective employers, spokeswoman Angela DiMascio said.

A program for high school students called Automotive Youth Educational Systems will also be offered for the first time, DiMascio said.

“It’s in conjunction with General Motors and Chrysler,” she said. “We train the students and then they go on to do internships at different auto dealerships in the area.”

Registration for business and office occupational courses will begin at West Valley on Jan. 27 and for industrial trades on Jan. 28. Open enrollment begins Jan. 29.

West Valley is at 6200 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills. For more information, call (818) 346-3540.

General registration will begin at the North Valley on Tuesday. The center is at 11450 Sharp Ave., Mission Hills. For more information, call (818) 365-9645, Ext. 323.