Golden West College Programs
Golden West College
Located in the coastal community of Huntington Beach, also known as “Surf City,” Golden West College is highly regarded for academic quality, comprehensive student support and innovation. Founded in 1965 as part of the multi-college Coast Community College District, GWC provides enriching, innovative and inclusive programming that helps students transfer to four-year institutions, earn associate degrees, complete certificates in career and technical education, and advance their careers.
Career Pathways
Accounting
If you think accountants are just pencil pushers, hacking away in some drab cubicle to the buzzing symphony of fluorescent lights…think again. Today’s accounting careers are all about managing wealth, providing dynamic corporate solutions, and performing high-level reporting and auditing responsibilities.
For businesses in Southern California and beyond, an ever-increasing reliance on technology has placed tremendous value on college-educated accounting professionals with up-to-date software skills. Beyond just bookkeeping, today’s accountants are involved in critical functions like fraud auditing, reporting, consulting, and advising.
Contrary to the “accountant stereotype,” real-world professionals in this field tend to be collaborative, high-energy individuals with imagination and vision.
Accounting students are often savvy with technology and have quantitative skills with a proclivity for applying their technical skills to analyze financial issues and provide innovative solutions.
Your Future BUILT Golden West College education opens doors to a wide range of career possibilities: running your own accounting practice, working with large or small businesses, or even investigating financial crimes with the FBI!
American Sign Language Interpreting
The American Sign Language Interpreting program at Golden West College is designed to provide students with skills sufficient for general entry-level employment in the Interpreting profession. The versatile coursework covering topics of language, communications, and deaf and disabled culture, prepares students for various academic and career pathways and fulfills requirements for inclusion in the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Automotive
Technology
The Automotive Technology program at Golden West College provides students with the opportunity to successfully prepare for careers in the automotive service industry as entry-level technicians or in other related occupations. For technicians presently working in the field, GWC offers advanced coursework to meet state licensing requirements or to facilitate opportunities for promotion and advancement.
GWC’s Automotive Technology program is certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), signifying that all curriculum and instruction aligns with NATEF standards.
Business
Administration
Business administration is a broad field that incorporates many types of management positions. From major corporations to independent businesses, every operation needs skilled administrators in order to succeed. Management careers tend to attract both independent and collaborative thinkers, typically with a mind for details and an entrepreneurial spirit. Coursework in this field is designed to advance knowledge and skills related to organizational leadership, managing people, and strategic planning.
Graduates of Career Education programs in this field go on to management positions in sales, marketing, education, healthcare, heavy industry, and more. They also develop the interpersonal and strategic planning skills necessary to succeed in starting their own businesses.
Demand for career professionals with college-level business administration training is projected to grow in the coming years, as concepts like facilities management and emergency preparedness continue to command a high priority.
Computer Aided Drafting & Design (CADD)
When you think of the hard-working folks planning and building our community’s industry and infrastructure, you may think of engineers, architects and construction workers. But without the meticulous and fascinating work of computer-aided design and drafting, these critical structures would literally never get off the ground.
Drafters prepare technical drawings and plans used by production and construction workers to build everything from shoes, cars, headphones, and spacecraft parts to hospitals, homes, planes, and skyscrapers. Literally everything produced by man has a set of CADD drawings that defines it. The digital planning provided by these professionals sets visual guidelines for manufacturers, showing the technical details of the products and structures and specifying the correct dimensions, materials, and procedures.
With the advent and expansion of 3D Printing technology, the role of CADD professionals has taken on a new dimension, creating unprecedented demand for college-educated individuals with up-to-date training.
The day-to-day work of CADD technicians combines art, science, and technology, and requires a level of adaptability and communication-savvy somewhat unique to industrial fields. Because their work is relied upon by architects, engineers, civic planners, manufacturers, and more, professionals in this field are critical to the development, improvement, and innovation of products and processes that drive our economy.
Computer Business Applications
Coursework in this department covers everything from fundamental business and communications skills to specific proficiencies in Microsoft Office applications like Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint. The program is designed to lay a broad foundation for professional success in public, private, governmental, educational, health, manufacturing, and industrial employment environments that rely on state-of-the-art computer technology.
The CBA program at Golden West College utilizes Microsoft Certified Application Specialist-approved courseware, allowing students to achieve national certification at the Core and Expert levels. Golden West College is a member of the Microsoft IT Academy, employing a specific curriculum to further reinforce skills relevant to Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification.
Computer
Science
Computer Science students at Golden West College learn to use computer equipment to analyze and transform information. Graduates prepare for entry-level careers and transfer programs by learning to direct computer operations by writing detailed instructions in computer languages to solve a variety of problems. Related career pathways include programming, systems analysis, data processing, cybersecurity, and more.
The program also leads to creative careers in entertainment media, such as video game design, 3D modeling, and special effects. Recent graduates of GWC’s Video Game Development certificate program report a 79% employment rate in an industry-relevant career.
Cosmetology &
Esthetician
GWC’s Cosmetology department offers programs in Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Barbering, designed to develop the techniques necessary to prepare for the state licensure examination and successful entry-level employment. Golden West Cosmetology students maintain a high pass/fail ratio for the state licensing test.
Golden West College is a Board of Cosmetology Approved Provider Article 5, Section 945 Rules and Regulations and is accredited by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.
Golden West College is home to working Cosmetology and Skin Care Salons, run by advanced-level students and open to the public for services such as hairstyling, coloring, facial treatments, and waxing. These facilities provide clients with affordable, professional-level services while preparing students for licensing and employment.
Criminal
Justice
Golden West College’s Criminal Justice Training Center, a regional law enforcement training facility, is committed to providing high-quality instruction in state-of-the-art facilities, leading to community-serving careers in law enforcement.
Golden West Criminal Justice grads enter the workforce in a variety of career paths, becoming police officers, corrections officers, forensics specialists, probation officers, security personnel, and more. All three programs offered at the Criminal Justice Training Center are designed with flexibility in mind, to meet the constantly changing training needs of the law enforcement profession. These needs are established collectively and independently by Municipal, County, and State law enforcement agencies.
The Criminal Justice Training Center is a P.O.S.T.-approved facility, meeting all standards mandated by the State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Digital
Arts
Golden West College’s Digital Arts program prepares students for entry-level employment in the digital arts through hands-on, project-based learning that focuses on visual communication, graphic design, the role of technology, and the preparation of art for commercial reproduction used in print, web, and mobile campaigns.
Students leave with a deep understanding of visual imagery, illustration, typography, 3D graphics, and the qualities and characteristics of various forms of print, web, mobile, and interactive communications. Successful students graduate with a portfolio suitable for entering the job market and are prepared to transfer to more advanced degree programs.
In addition to providing foundational skills in graphic design, GWC’s hands-on practicum offers several 15-unit certificates that provide additional specialization in such areas as web design, design for the biotechnology industry, and advanced production, while preparing students for more advanced degrees in design and the digital arts.
As the arts continue to merge with new technologies, the demand for computer-savvy professionals who can work with both art and technology will continue to grow!
Health Information Technology
Health information management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. It is a combination of business, science, and information technology.
You can get started on your journey toward a Healthcare Information Management (HIM) career. HIM professionals are on the rise and these occupations are one of the fastest growing in the healthcare industry. HIM professionals may work in diverse healthcare environments and have an aptitude for science, management, law, and technology.
According to the Orange County Business Council, ‘Medical Records and Health Information Technician’ is one of the largest Healthcare IT occupations with a faster than average job growth.
The Health Information Technology program at Golden West College may be completed in only three semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer) for a total of 24 units. For more information about the program, courses and prerequisites, feel free to download our Health Information Technology Flyer.
Management
Golden West College Management students learn how to be independent leaders and productive team players while acquiring the practical skills and strategies necessary to meet situational demands.
Because all companies have some sort of management structure, GWC Management grads find themselves qualified to work across a wide variety of industries and well-prepared for any job that requires an understanding of business.
The fact that the Los Angeles/Orange County region has the largest concentration of small businesses in the state, as well as the highest total small business sales, is further encouragement to Management students seeking career options that are both challenging and secure.
With a Future BUILT degree in management from GWC, you won’t just be ready to manage, you’ll be ready to lead. More importantly, you won’t have to wear Prada to know you are management material!
Marketing
In the world of business, marketing plays the crucial role of connecting a company’s services and products to paying customers. Because marketing, sales, and customer service play a role in every type of organization, GWC Marketing majors find themselves in-demand in every industry, and well-prepared for any job that requires an understanding of business.
According to Dr. Philip Kotler, author of more than 60 books on the topic, marketing is “the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit.” Golden West College’s curriculum balances the art and science of marketing, producing well-rounded grads with a broad foundation of career-relevant skills.
Marketing majors learn how to manage a company’s marketing resources, how to conduct market research, and how to leverage technology and messaging to develop well-informed marketing strategies. Meanwhile, students learn what it takes to create the kind of emotional and engaging messaging that turns potential customers into paying customers.
Whether you see yourself as a sales superstar or a messaging maven, a Future BUILT degree in marketing will give you the preparation you need to succeed, anywhere that businesses are trying to turn a profit. And in case you’re wondering…that’s basically everywhere.
Nursing
For every doctor, technology, and innovation at the peak of the medical profession, you can bet there’s a cadre of under-appreciated Sherpas forging the path. Sure, nurses work crazy hours…but it’s a crazy job! And that’s exactly how we like it…
As demand continues to outpace supply across California, college-educated professionals will continue to find healthy career opportunities in the nursing field while commanding even healthier salaries that are well above the national averages for all jobs.
Many people wrongly assume that a nurse’s job is simply to assist a doctor. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth—qualified nurses are an essential component of all allied health teams and are relied upon to independently perform a wide variety of patient-centered tasks and managerial duties across the medical spectrum.
For this reason, the need for qualified nurses is projected to grow at a rate of 35% between 2016 and 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In Orange County alone, Registered Nursing (RN) opportunities account for almost half of the health sector’s 10,000 average monthly online job postings.
Earning a Future BUILT ADN is the smart choice for those who want to save money and get started quickly in this dynamic field. Golden West College’s 2-year ADN qualifies students to take the Registered Nursing licensure examination (NCLEX), in the same way that a bachelor’s degree does, but in half the time and for half the money!
Theater Tech
From Hamilton on Broadway all the way down to the local junior high school production of Oklahoma!, live, theatrical entertainment is an energizing and enduring part of our culture. With the Los Angeles/Orange County region bursting with career opportunities for professionals with hands-on technical theater training, it’s an industry that won’t be seeing its final act anytime soon.
For those who have always dreamed of a job in show business, but would rather set the stage than perform on it, Golden West College’s Technical Theater program is perfect for the part!
Scenic, Lighting, and Projection Design Technician certificate students at Golden West College follow a course of study that prepares them for entry-level positions as technicians in a variety of public and private theater venues.
Classes are taught by industry veterans and focus on the art and craft of preparing a stage for a production. Students not only learn about such things as color theory, scenic painting, stage lighting, and stagecraft, but also how to construct scenery, execute projection designs, operate mixers and projectors, perform fundamental image and video editing, and more.
GWC’s proximity to Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, means that students have even more opportunities to set the stage for a rewarding and stable career in the live entertainment business.
