I've been attending the VACE 3D Modeling and Design Drafter class and will be finishing up and…read morestarting a new career in the CAD industry at the end of the month. There is no way I'd have gotten this job without the knowledge of the two excellent instructors in the class, Scott and Dennis, who have a wealth of experience when it comes to AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and Revitt. My favorite aspect of the school is that you're treated like an adult. I'm in my mid-30's and haven't attended classes of any sort since my early 20's as I'm not a fan of the 'typical' classroom environment. Here you're treated respectfully and with and understanding that there are other things going on in your life while you're attending class practically full time(M-F, 8-4). It's a professional environment without feeling stuffy. I've been in the work force for 15+ years and the school is a nice proxy for what a working environment might feel like. Another great aspect of this school is that they want you to get a job and will fall over themselves to help you get there. I think I interview very well and have good resume making skills, but the experts at the school who help you when you're in the final stretch with these things were immensely helpful in making me feel prepared for the interviews I went to. I've heard other graduates say the same. All the staff here are very supportive and if you're looking for a fresh start and a new career, I really can't recommend VACE enough. it was a life changing positive experience for me and I'm sure it will be for you too.

I am very disappointed how the program my mentee attempted to enter was set up. There was much…read moreinterest in processing her financial aid, but less focus on teaching and supporting. The resources provided in her program (medical assisting) we're not sound pedagogically, not androgogically. It is a very self paced program with little scaffolding. I could not get ahold 9f the placement person to ask about internships and job placement. There were very few students in the building during the two weeks of her trial. Did theyattend 8n the morning or did few come? The website is not very descriptive and cites 100% placement rate. That seems unlikely, tho I suppose possible. It does cost much less to attend this program than other local for-profit medical assisting programs, but I think you need to be a much more sophisticated learner than most high school grads without work or life experience. ((I find it truly abhorrent to charge as much as these programs do to enter a relatively low-paying occupation. There is a two week trial period, which is good. Unfortunately, when it looked like my mentee was going to struggle with the pace of the program, they just wrote her off and told her not to return until they contacted her and have not done so for over two months since then. To be fair, I'm going by her side of things ,but I have no reason to believe she misrepresented her experience with me. I was very disappointed for her.

I know from various people that the school truly cares about the English language learner community…read moreand offers trips to community college to show them opportunities they can have after they pass their GED. I have a bachelors degree and I attended the school for their accounting certificate program, which is a different field than what I studied. After completing this program and working for a small business as a bookkeeper, I was hired by an accounting firm as a bookkeeper as well. Everything I needed to know for that job I learned over four months at Oxnard Adult Education with an excellent teacher, who has ample experience in the banking industry.

I've been attending this place for many years and the staff and programs have always been very…read morehelpful and successful.

For a time I was a literacy tutor with the READ/Ventura County Library Program. Unfortunately, I…read morehad to postpone my participation, but I place a high value on the program and what it seeks to do for adults who need assistance in reading. Literacy is the foundation of democracy, and we cannot afford to take it lightly. Unfortunately, many people get through the US ed system without being able to read. This program is free to those individuals who recognize a need for them to read better, either to be able to help their kids with homework, or to get a better job. If you want to help the program, consider being at tutor, or participate in some of the events that help fund the efforts of others. The next event is the Gold Coast Ride for Literacy on 4/17/2010. There is even a 10 mile family ride on the bike path if you aren't up to a 30, 55, 66, or 100 mile adventure. Get more information at http://www.goldcoastrideforliteracy.com, or 805-642-7089.

Amazing organization. Such a simple concept - provide one-on-one focused educational support to…read morehomeless kids (who miss tons of school as their families move from shelter to shelter and who fall FAR behind their classmates all too quickly). So very effective. Nothing can prepare you for the emotional rush you feel when a kid you're tutoring suddenly "gets" the point you're trying to get across. I was worried because I'm not great in math, and that seems to be the place they need a lot of help...but it's really just about taking them through their work. Plus there are some good videos on the SOW site to help you through strategies (the organization really works hard to provide training and guidance, they are just fantastic). They ask for a one-year commitment, I intend to stay for more.. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE EXPERIENCE.

School On Wheels is an excellent volunteer organization, and its main mission is to provide…read moreeducational assistance to homeless children. SOW also helps students with various educational support that many homeless children may not otherwise receive. I have had the pleasure to tutor here in Ventura area, and SOW Ventura staff are so helpful.All it takes is one hour a week, and there are 168 hours in a week that should really be fairly easy to squeeze an hour into your schedule to help positively change a young child's life like it has mine.

Melody Bird is called that for a reason. She can help you get that melody into your guitar playing…read moreyou've been searching for. Awesome player and teacher.

This was the best decision I've made in a long time. Of course it's normal to be skeptical with…read moresome trade schools. But my experience has been top notch with Contractor's School here in Ventura. Don Parsons is your counselor, helper, cheerleader and advocate all throughout the process of earning your contractor's license. He replies promptly to any phone calls or emails and does his best to guide you through this convoluted system that the state sets up for people trying to earn their license. When you're finally done, you realize it wasn't that difficult after all with his help. My nighttime instructor was Charles Dresser, himself a general contractor specializing in kitchen remodels. His classes (4 of them) are informative, funny and a tremendous help. He lays out the process using real world scenarios. I couldn't have done it without his instruction and input. Contractor's offers courses in construction math and test taking as part of your tuition. Also, online practice tests that mimic the state's tests. In the course of one week, I took so many practice tests that I ended up answering 7,500 questions and scored over 90% overall....something I never thought I could have done on day one of class. This school is the real deal. Don't hesitate to go for it. By the time I took the test here in Oxnard, half for your trade and the other half on business law and standards, those 100 questions per test were a breeze. But.... You must apply yourself. They offer a guarantee that you will pass on your first attempt, and if you follow the program, you WILL. I highly recommend this school. It's not a walk through the park, but it is very doable and rewarding when you click the state's computer monitor button that says " Done" after your test and the word "PASS" comes up! This school and it's instructors, along with Don, are the BEST!

This was the perfect program to get me where I need to be. Complete help every step of the way. A…read morehuge shoutout to Mr. Oscar Gutierrez for always being helpful and very informative. I would recommend anybody who is trying to acquire their Contractors License to go through this program.

I graduated from VC more years ago than I will admit. Now I am taking a night class and am very…read moreimpressed with the new library and other campus additions.. Some of the classrooms are in the same funky 1970s buildings, but the art/design classroom has updated computers and huge monitors. The library building has cool architecture and a vast seating area with computers. The online registration process is challenging (you need a Master's degree to figure it out), but after an hour and a call to the helpline which confirmed that the error glitch would require me to re-input all my data again, I was able to register. The open hours for the store and registration are tricky too, so check online before venturing over. The teachers are as cool as I remembered them, so it has been rather fun revisiting some of my college memories. I even find parking spots on Loma Vista like I used to, and they will still ticket you in the permit parking lots too.

While VC offers affordable and convenient classes, it falls short in every other department. Every…read morecounselor my family has met has given false information and limited choices where there were alternatives available. In addition, the teachers are highly unmoving and do not even allow a late assignment when an immediate family member has been in the hospital or even passed away. Most recently, a teacher stated that it would not be equitable to treat students differently in such circumstances. Equality and equity are not the same thing; equity is giving people what they need, versus equality which is giving everyone the same thing. The fact that she did not understand that concept was especially frustrating and alarming considering it was a COMMUNICATIONS CLASS. I strongly urge any and all attendees to research the teacher's name and history on MULTIPLE sources, not just the college's. This institution depends on the ignorance of students in order to pass themselves off as "experts." I use the term "teacher" rather than "professor" since they are clearly not at that caliber. In this particular case, the teacher is Stacy Sloan Graham. We are required to take multiple courses in equity to obtain our degrees. However, this college does not seem to require their educators to practice it.