Find resources for local programs, classes and workshops that provide skills-based training, youth activities, and online tools to develop skills by location OR age level:
Locations
Age Level
Center for Nonprofit Excellence
The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) works with nonprofit staff, board, and volunteers to think strategically and function more effectively. They provide in-person training and professional development opportunities as well as webinars for nonprofits, on topics such as cybersecurity, and project management fundamentals, and more!
Salinas Adult School Computer Classes
Salinas Adult School provides free computer classes, including basic computer skills, Microsoft Office, and skills for the Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment.
Open P-TECH
IBM’s P-TECH curriculum offers free digital learning on the tech and professional skills of tomorrow!
Matrix Learning
Matrix Learning is a free, flexible way for job seekers to brush up on their skills. With things changing at a fast pace, online learning is one of the best ways to keep skills sharp. Whether taking hour-long courses or watching short videos, online learning is convenient and always available.
Google Tech Development Guide
Whether you’re a student or an educator, newer to computer science or a more experienced coder, or otherwise interested in software engineering, we hope there’s something for you here in Google’s Guide to Technical Development. This is a collection of materials from many sources, including Google, that you can use to supplement your classwork or direct your own learning.
Health Career Connection
Seeking hands-on experience, exposure & connections in the health field? Health Career Connection (HCC) has opportunities for undergraduates and recent college graduates. Learn how HCC inspires and empowers the next generation of diverse health professionals and leaders.
Walmart Live Better U
Walmart employees can earn a college degree, skilled trade diploma, professional certificate, or your high school diploma using your Walmart benefit. Gain valuable, in-demand skills in as few as 10 months in the following industries: Industrial and Facilities Maintenance, Electrical, Plumbing, Construction, HVAC/R, and more!
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County
Volunteer to mentor a youth (age 7-14) to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth and develop your skills in mentoring. A Match Support Specialist from the agency will be in regular contact with you to provide assistance and give feedback.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program
Defib This! course is for healthcare providers who either direct or participate in any aspect of patient care during neonatal resuscitations. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care of the Neonate.
Acute Care Nursing Series
Defib This! Acute Care Nursing series is a two-week intensive lecture and skills lab series which provides review and introductory info on the five most common emergencies that happen to our hospitalized patients, based on system. This course is designed for the third or fourth-semester nursing student who is seeking a clinical internship and subsequent employment in a high-acuity patient environment. This is also an excellent course for the new graduate nurse.
Professional career prep lectures and exercises prepare the student for their first nursing employment search process with resume assistance, mock interviews, and tips on marketing themselves for the current competitive job market.
Coursera
Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online.
Google IT Professional Support Certificate
Google IT Professional Support Certificate helps address the huge demand for IT professionals, and is ideal for companies looking to upskill their workers into IT roles.
HubSpot Remote Work Guide
HubSpot provides a one-stop resource guide to make virtual collaboration efficient and enjoyable. From managing remote teams to running remote meetings and events, everything you need to know about remote work is here.
HubSpot Academy
Take your skills to the next level with HubSpot Academy free online training. From quick courses to comprehensive certifications, learn everything you need to know about SEO, social media, sales tactics & more.
Santa Cruz Teen Public Safety Academy
The summer Teen Public Safety Academy courses developed by the Santa Cruz Police Department provide a phenomenal opportunity to Santa Cruz teenagers who are considering serving their community in careers in either law enforcement or public safety, and those who are interested in learning public safety skills and more about their community from the public servant perspective.
Monterey Citizen Police Academy
Citizens’ Police Academy is a dynamic, exciting and informative three hours long, once a week, eleven-week program. The program is designed to provide Monterey residents with an interactive, hands-on, comprehensive overview and to provide the citizens with an understanding of the job knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the modern-day community-oriented police officer.
Santa Cruz Citizen Police Academy
The Santa Cruz Police Department’s popular Citizen Police Academy offers city residents an inside look at aspects of law enforcement most have never seen, in a series of free lectures, demonstrations and discussions.
Leadership Santa Cruz County
The Leadership Santa Cruz County program provides a broad base of community knowledge and experiences to class members. Each session focuses on a different essential component of our community – from law enforcement to environment and education to agriculture, just to name a few. Participants interact with a wide variety of community leaders from government, business, health care, and other industries and services.
Leadership Monterey County
Leadership Monterey County (LMC) builds awareness of local business and community concerns and encourages involvement and stewardship to help shape the future of Monterey County. It is a comprehensive focus on important community issues. The program strives to motivate new leaders into local government, advocacy in local policy, understanding the major job industries in Monterey County, and volunteerism in the community in which they live.
Cabrillo College Extension
Cabrillo College Extension provides various classes, for adults aged 18 and up, unless specifically noted on the class description, including computers and technology, money and investment, and professional skills and development.
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code offers serveral programs including after school clubs for 3rd-5th and 6th-12th grade girls to explore coding in a fun & friendly environment, 7-week summer programs for 10-11th grade girls to learn coding & get exposure to tech jobs, program to help alumni succeed in college and build community with other women in tech on campus, and more. There are multiple club locations across the Monterey Bay region.
Santa Cruz County Workforce Development Board Career Centers
Workforce Santa Cruz County is a partnership of local organizations that service job seekers and businesses in the community and region. It includes a network of Career Centers in Watsonville and Capitola and a Watsonville Youth Center which offer an array of no cost services for businesses, employees, and job seekers.
University of California Alumni Career Network
The UC Alumni Career Network is a high-impact, online series designed to provide UC alumni and community members with the insights, information, and connections to launch, grow and expand your career opportunities.
Teen Success Inc.
The mission of Teen Success, Inc. is to help underserved teen mothers and their children become educated, self-sufficient, valued members of society. Their program consists of one-on-one coaching with Teen Success, Inc. Advocate and a peer learning group with other teen moms. Teen Success, Inc. program locations include serving young moms in California’s Bay Area and Monterey County.
Volunteer Center Volunteer Initiative Program
The Volunteer Center’s Volunteer Initiative Program matches interested community members with volunteer opportunities throughout Santa Cruz County Government. Volunteers have the opportunity to work with County departments including the District Attorney’s Office, the Health Services Agency, the Human Resources Agency, Law Library, Parks and Recreation, Personnel, Probation, and the Sheriff’s Department. These volunteer opportunities are great for professional development and skills-building.
Growing Up Wild
The mission of Growing Up Wild is to help youth connect with nature, build character, and learn about the environment by providing outdoor youth development and environmental education programs. Outdoor environmental education program benefits include personal growth, academic achievement, environmental knowledge, critical thinking, and civic engagement.
Volunteer Center YouthSERVE
YouthSERVE is dedicated to connecting youth, ages 11-17, with rewarding volunteer projects across Santa Cruz County. Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County will connect local youth who have a passion to help those in need with meaningful opportunities to do so. Youth can make a difference in their community while developing skills to find a job, get into college, complete school service requirements.
County of Santa Cruz Friday Night Live
Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership is comprised of the Friday Night Live (FNL) and Club Live (CL) programs. These programs are multi-cultural, youth-driven and lead. The program promotes healthy lifestyle choices in our community, develops and strengthens leadership skills for positive social change, organizes student conferences addressing alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues and sponsors parent workshops on issues affecting youth.
Salud y Cariño
Salud y Cariño partners with other community-based organizations to promote health and wellness for girls through physical activity, prevention, and education. Girls Group is a FREE after school program that combines physical activity and a social-emotional curriculum to promote overall wellness for girls at a critical time in their development.
El Teatro Campesino
El Teatro Campesino provides after school programs in educational theater, a 12-week artist residency program with professional teaching artists in the classroom, and a Migrant Education Summer Academy (MESA).
Youth N.O.W.
Youth N.O.W. provides two after school student centers that provides no-cost tutoring and academic support, computer labs, and printing services, as well as, a safe social environment for middle and high school youth in the downtown Watsonville area. During the summer, Youth N.O.W. also offers a five-week full day program for middle school youth and half day programming for high school youth.
Your Future Is Our Business
Your Future Is Our Business (YFIOB) programs provide work-based learning opportunities to middle and high school students. YFIOB coordinates career panels, career expos, job shadowing, internships, and mentorships within Santa Cruz County. Learn more about YFIOB programs.
Monterey County Workforce Development Board Youth Programs
Monterey County Workforce Development Board provides multiple program services including: job shadowing, job fairs, work readiness training, personal money management, life skills education, mentoring, and referrals to vocation training.
YMCA Camp Campbell
The YMCA of Silicon Valley offers a variety of education and enrichment programs and has a location at Camp Campbell in Boulder Creek. Learn more about Camp Campbell here.
Sueños Program
Sueños is a program of Santa Cruz County Workforce Development Board that helps teenagers and young adults (ages 16 to 24) develop workplace skills that will prepare them to enter and thrive in an increasingly competitive labor market.
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation Youth Leadership Program
The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation Youth Leadership Program aims to educate and inspire youth to preserve and enrich agriculture and community heritage. Students with vital skills to build future leaders in our area that will help us preserve our agriculture economy.
Santa Cruz County Career Technical Education Partnership
The Santa Cruz County Career Technical Education Partnership provides high school students with the opportunity to acquire academic, career and technical skills and to prepare for life-long learning and success in the changing workplace. Click here for course information.
Rancho Cielo Youth Corps
Rancho Cielo Youth Corps is an on-the-job training program serving young people, 18–24, to be prepared for regular full time employment. Our crews learn through their involvement in a variety of construction projects that teach everything from work ethics to complex construction skills.
Loaves, Fishes, & Computers
Through volunteering at Loaves, Fishes & Computers (LFC), volunteers gain valuable technical, business and administrative skills appropriate for career exploration, career development, and higher education advancement. They also learn problem solving skills and how to work collaboratively as well as independently.
LINK
Founded by Your Future Is Our Business, a Santa Cruz County nonprofit, LINK connects students with local businesses and professionals to provide work-based learning opportunities.
GRID Alternatives
GRID Alternatives seeks to provide an effective, efficient, and equitable pathway into the solar industry. More than 3 million US workers are employed in well-paying clean energy jobs. GRID’s installation training programs help individuals launch careers in this booming industry. GRID offers two progressive certificate programs – Installation Basics Training (IBT) and Team Leader Training. Trainees may specialize in electrical or array work, or both.
Girls, Inc.
Girls Inc. of the Central Coast delivers innovative, research-based programs designed specifically to address the strengths and needs of girls ages 8 to 18. They inspire girls to pursue post-secondary education, develop leadership and decision-making skills, serve their communities, and acquire the ability and wisdom to lead healthy lifestyles.
Food, What?!
Food, What?! is a youth empowerment and food justice organization using food, through sustainable agriculture and health, as the vehicle for youth to grow into strong, healthy, and resilient teens. Youth from Santa Cruz County can join the FoodWhat Crew through Spring Internships, Summer Jobs, Fall Project Management Positions. Learn more about Food What?! Programs.
Digital NEST
Through training, peer collaboration and professional mentorship, Digital NEST (Nurturing Entrepreneurial Skills with Technology) youth are supported in mastering the technological skills they need to pursue higher education and careers in our globally connected world.
Community Partnership for Youth
Community Partnership for Youth (CPY) is a prevention program providing alternatives to gangs, drugs, and violence. The program consists of an After School Mentor-Tutor Program, an 5 week Summer Intercession Program, a Middle School Leadership Program, a High School Leadership & Job Preparation Program, a 7 week Strengthening Families Program (SFP), and a Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Learn more about CPY Programs.
Cabrillo Youth Summer Programs
Every summer Cabrillo Extension offers an inclusive, safe, and positive learning environment where kids (age 5-18) can dive deep into their hobbies or passions, explore career paths, learn new skills—and have tons of fun in the process. Diverse programming includes everything from creative culinary camps to hands-on STEM experiences to adventures in art to building skills to help student succeed in college and beyond.
Bay Area Cyber Camps & Competitions
The Bay Area Cyber Camps & Compeitions are part of San Francisco & Monterey Bay Area’s Cybersecurity regional efforts to provide awareness, training, design, and events to educate students to the fundamentals of Cybersecurity. The goal is to provide students the tools, knowledge and experience they’ll need to not only participate in the various contests throughout the year, but also begin their workforce training in a fun environment!
Alliance Career Training Solutions
With locations in Salinas and Santa Cruz, Alliance Career Training Solutions provides classes in software, business, and technical training.
Barrios Unidos Audio Engineering
Barrios Unidos’ Audio Engineering program is an exciting FREE 6 week course for youth who are interested in learning all aspects of the recording process including recording, mixing, editing, and mastering. Learn more about this skills training program by visiting their site and contacting the program coordinator!