About Us
Introduction to Public Service: College Prep Elective - G
Course Description: Introduction to Public Service Academy is the first elective course in a three year California Partnership Academy. Students incorporate and utilize a variety of content areas, including math and science, in their exploration of career pathways in the public services. Students will explore and understand the purpose and history of the criminal justice system, fire services, emergency medical services, military, and related public service fields. Topics to be studied include: law enforcement, corrections, fire fighting, criminal justice system, emergency medical services, social services, personal fitness, leadership, Incident Command System, post-secondary education and career planning. A combination of strategies and activities will be used to teach students the knowledge and technical skills to help them explore and prepare for a career in the public services. Methods of instruction include: hands-on activities, reading and writing assignments from a variety of texts, lecture, demonstration, real-life applications, current events, field trips and numerous guest speakers from across the public service career field. Students will have the opportunity to receive training in CPR-First Aid, self-defense, FEMA classes and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) skills. Collaborative activities to promote leadership, team-building and community service will be incorporated into the class.
Government and Civil Service: College Prep Elective - G
(Prerequisite - Introduction to Public Service)
Course Description: Government and Civil Service concentrator course is a California Department of Education industry sector program that prepares students for careers in the United States government service and related fields. Careers in public service are unique because they center on challenging issues that define the public agenda and involve the provision of vital services to the public—from local to international levels. Students learn the principles of the justice field including a working knowledge of state and federal laws and various segments. Students' study includes a historical perspective of American governmental agencies, with an emphasis on California policies; philosophy of its origins and the social impact on society, current trends and their relevance to local, state and federal agencies; hiring and testing processes for career opportunities. This course meets UC A-G requirements.
Internship: College Prep Elective: College Prep Elective - G
(Prerequisite Government and Civil Service)
Course Description: The Public Service Internship course is designed to train the student in advanced supervised practical preparation in a wide variety of skills related to a specific occupation. The Public Service Academy coordinates Career Technical Education Internships to provide high level, hands-on experiences with local industry partners. Students will be afforded the opportunities to engage in learning through practical, work-based experiences. CTE Internships are available for upperclassmen who are at least 16 years old, have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, are on target to graduate, and have completed a minimum of two coherent sequenced courses in the same Public Service program. The CTE Internship Program is a structured field work practicum that gives students an opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that they have learned throughout their CTE program area in a “real-time” business and industry environment. The CTE Internship Program uses written training agreements to outline what students are expected to demonstrate and learn at the work site and what additional training/mentoring employers are expected to provide. There is a strong emphasis on correlation and integration between the work site and classroom learning. Interns may be paid or unpaid.