Andrea Rodriguez-Blanco, career center director at West L.A. College, said Perez is one of many students who have benefited from the college’s focus on work-based learning and career readiness. The stakes: Rodriguez-Blanco said the partnership helps amplify each college’s work-based learning programs while making it easier for students across all the campuses to access career opportunities. “The reason why these colleges came together is because we found that we had a really strong work-based learning support system,” Rodriguez-Blanco said. The initiative provides more pathways for students to participate in work-based learning and career programs while still in school, making it easier to gain practical experience while managing their schedules. Ultimately, Jordan said, there is a lot of value for institutions in sharing practices when it comes to work-based learning.