A publication of the Association of California School Administrators

Leading adult education transformation

Integrated Education and Training (IET) can meet workforce needs while supporting economic mobility for students

By Thoibi Rublaitus | May | June 2025

Ana Karina struggled during high school as her parents were going through a divorce. She came from a low-income, non-English-speaking household. At 18, Ana dropped out of school. She worked odd jobs to help her family. Soon, she got pregnant and needed to take care of her child. As her child started elementary school, she learned about the adult school offering high school diploma completion and career technical education classes simultaneously for English language learners at no cost. At 29, Ana enrolled in high school diploma and nurse assistant classes simultaneously. Ana received her high school diploma and nurse assistant certification simultaneously. Today, she works at the local community hospital as a certified nurse assistant and aims to get into a vocational nursing program.

By becoming a certified nurse assistant, Ana started a career pathway that afforded her a livable wage and an entry-level position with the potential to grow in a high-demand industry sector such as health care. She can also provide more for her son and support her family. Industry sector credentials are offered at no or low cost. They are now made possible at K-12 adult schools through the transformative and innovative practice of Integrated Education and Training. At the recent ACSA Leadership Summit, Dr. Carolyn Zachry, director of Adult Education at the California Department of Education, assembled a panel of adult education leaders to delve more into implementing the IET strategies.

This article explores how these initiatives are designed, their impact on adult learners and the leadership strategies that ensure sustainability and success.

Adult education is evolving to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing workforce landscape. Leadership in this field requires innovative strategies that align education and workforce development to support economic mobility and address labor shortages. Two compelling case studies, Mountain View-Los Altos Adult School (MVLA) and Corona-Norco Unified School District Adult Education (CNUSD), highlight how Integrated Education and Training programs are reshaping adult education, particularly in health care pathways.

The growing need for health care pathways The health care industry faces a persistent demand for skilled workers. According to national and state-level labor projections, this demand will continue well into the 2030s. Adult education leaders have identified this trend as an opportunity to address workforce shortages and provide pathways for economic mobility among underserved populations, including English language learners.

Adult education leaders have leveraged multiple federal and state grants to implement IET models to bridge education and employment gaps, offering programs integrating language acquisition with technical training. These initiatives exemplify how leadership in adult education can transform communities and create a skilled workforce aligned with industry needs.

MVLA’s Accelerated IET Health care Pathways At the MVLA Adult School, Director Julie Vo spearheads an ambitious IET initiative targeting advanced English language learners. The program begins with a Medical Terminology course tailored for ELL students, providing them with foundational knowledge and language skills required in health care professions. Students transition seamlessly into tuition-free training programs for Certified Nursing Assistants and Medical Office Assistants.

Key features include:

Tuition-free training: Removing financial barriers ensures broader access for underserved populations. Embedded tutoring and paid externships: Students gain practical experience and financial support, increasing retention and success rates.

Employment partnerships: Collaborations with regional employers like El Camino Hospital provide job placements and sign-on bonuses ranging from $1,500 to $5,000.

Student success: The program’s first-year cohorts have a 93 percent completion rate, exceeding expectations. Leadership lessons from MVLA emphasize the importance of removing barriers, fostering partnerships and aligning educational outcomes with labor market needs.

CNUSD: Scaling health care career training Corona-Norco Unified School District’s Adult Education program, under the leadership of Dr. Thoibi Rublaitus, has been equally transformative. Since its humble beginnings in 2017, the program has scaled to offer multiple career pathways, including Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Assistants and Pharmacy Technicians. With funding from state and federal sources such as the Workforce Investment Opportunities Act Title II 243 grant, Employment Development Department and California Adult Education Program (CAEP ELL IET Healthcare) funds, CNUSD has built a robust IET program in business and finance, child development, skilled trades and healthcare.

Key features include:

Employer engagement: Partnerships with 30 local employers, including four hospitals, CVS and Walgreens, ensure real-world training and employment opportunities.

Data-driven decisions: CNUSD uses labor market information to design programs that align with regional demands.

Flexible scheduling: Exclusive morning, evening, some Saturday cohorts and hybrid combination cohorts accommodate working adults, expanding accessibility.

Funding and scale: A $2.3 million planning grant from EDD and multiple small grants and community scholarships enabled long-term sustainability and growth.

The program’s success underscores the importance of leadership in securing funding, developing community partnerships and designing scalable solutions for adult learners.

Focus on equity: Programs must address barriers underserved populations face, such as financial constraints, language proficiency, and lack of access to technology.

The role of employer partnerships Both MVLA and CNUSD have demonstrated that employer partnerships are the cornerstone of successful IET programs. These collaborations align training with industry needs and provide resources such as equipment, externships, funding and instructors.

Strategies for building partnerships:

Research and outreach: Identify industry leaders and tailor outreach to their workforce needs.

Incremental engagement: Start small with externships and expand partnerships over time.

Formal agreements: Develop MOUs that define roles, expectations and mutual benefits.

Maintaining relationships: Employee engagement requires regular communication, public recognition and feedback mechanisms. For example, CNUSD’s quarterly meetings and recognition ceremonies ensure employers remain invested in the program.

Leadership insights for sustaining IET programs The success of IET programs depends on visionary leadership that prioritizes collaboration, innovation and sustainability. Here are key takeaways from the MVLA and CNUSD initiatives:

Focus on equity: Programs must address barriers underserved populations face, such as financial constraints, language proficiency and lack of access to technology.

Secure diverse funding sources: To ensure long-term sustainability, leaders should explore local, state and federal grants and private sector contributions.

Foster multi-stakeholder partnerships: Collaboration with employers, community colleges and workforce development boards creates a student support system and strengthens program outcomes.

Leverage data for continuous improvement: Regular assessment of student outcomes, employer satisfaction and labor market trends ensures that programs remain relevant and practical.

Empower staff and students: Invest in teacher recruitment and professional development while providing wrap-around student support, such as career advising and tech literacy training.

The broader impact of IET programs Integrated Education and Training programs do more than prepare individuals for jobs; they transform lives and communities. By aligning education with workforce needs and increasing household incomes, these programs create a direct pipeline to economic mobility.

MVLA and CNUSD’s initiatives highlight the potential of adult education to address systemic challenges, such as labor shortages, access to education and strategies to create more engaged community members. Their success stories are a blueprint for other districts and organizations aiming to build impactful IET programs.

As the demand for skilled workers grows, the role of adult education leaders becomes increasingly vital. By championing innovative approaches and fostering partnerships, these leaders can ensure that adult education remains a cornerstone of workforce development and social mobility, including enhanced parent involvement in K-12 schools, as educated and higher-income households have higher engagement.

This article celebrates the transformative power of leadership in adult education and calls on educators, policymakers and industry leaders to collaborate in building more educated, engaged and empowered communities.

References Zachry, C (2024) Healthcare Pathways for Adult English Learners, ACSA Leadership Summit, San Diego

AI disclaimer

During the preparation of this work, the author used ChatGPT to analyze presentations and publications by the author and other colleagues. The author then reviewed and edited as needed and takes full responsibility for the content of the article.

Thoibi Rublaitus, Ed.D., is director of Adult Education at Corona Norco Unified School District and president of ACSA’s Council of Adult Education Leaders.