Over the last year the Sustainable Environment Institute has been working with LACCD District Facilities and Build-LACCD in partnership to strengthen learning opportunities for students. These conversations began with how to best make use of the expertise and resources that our District Facilities have to offer. Under the guidance of Vice Chancellor Smith along with Facilities staff-a commitment has been made to playing the role as educators. Here are a few ways that they are doing that.

• District Facilities has formulated a mentorship program, meant to support students in the district, by providing direct access to the expertise the district has to offer. This mentorship opportunity is a powerful way to guide and support students as they make their way through career training or transfer.

• District Facilities has strengthened the Build-LACCD college internship program. They are committed to increasing the number of positions and types of opportunities for students on career pathways in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) These internship programs employ students within firms and contractors who are working on Build-LACCD projects.

• As District Facilities is growing their role as educators, they are looking for ways to partner with district architecture and engineering programs to open access to campus infrastructure and construction sites for curriculum, when possible. This opportunity began as a discussion between District Facilities and the Sustainable Environment Institute. This led to meetings with Architecture and Engineering Faculty and administrators at Pierce College and East Los Angeles College February and March of this year. Developing these partnerships will increase curricular access to existing and new buildings, and to infrastructure. Plans are already in place to provide live or virtual access to construction sites and plant facilities. Mediating the obstacles to using campuses as learning laboratories is an exciting and welcome prospect for education and student success.