Tuition-free programs open to the community across business, health, education, STEM, and more — designed to build skills, certifications, and pathways to careers.
Introduces you to the basics of bicycle maintenance and provides a pathway to jobs as entry-level mechanics, bicycle sales associates, or bicycle shop management.
Helps you develop a better understanding of how businesses operate and function, with an overview of the entrepreneurial mindset.
Provides you with marketable business knowledge and professional skills to seek employment in various customer-driven industries.
Prepares you for work in a fast-paced office setting. Build your computer skills and apply customer service techniques to qualify for positions such as front desk receptionist, customer service associate, and front desk coordinator.
Prepares you to maintain treatment areas, prepare and aid therapy sessions, transport immobile patients, and learn proper body mechanics for patient assistance.
Prepares you for entry-level careers working with older adults. May qualify you for high-demand occupations such as caregivers, companions, social and human service assistants, direct support professionals, and resident care aides.
Teaches the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to work as an entry-level nurse assistant. After completion, you will be eligible to take the California Nurse Assistant competency exam.
Builds on nurse assistant training to prepare you for a career as a certified home health aide, administering in-home health and hospice care and services.
Introduces you to the stages of child development while discovering new strategies to develop a culturally relevant program.
Helps you qualify for careers as a community engagement coordinator, environmental sustainability assistant or coordinator, environmental researcher, customer service representative, or recycling management assistant.
Teaches you about the world of sustainability and the principles of organics.
Helps you qualify for careers as a recycling coordinator, waste management technician, resource recovery assistant, environmental assessor, or sales, operations, and management assistant.
Designed to help you transition from noncredit to credit courses, obtain a certificate or degree, or prepare for a career.
Helps you to read, write, and speak English.
Helps you prepare for the USCIS citizenship exam and oral interview, and provides help with the N-400 application.
All programs are tuition-free and open to the community.
Get college credit for what you already know. CPL recognizes the knowledge and skills you have gained through work, military service, and life experience and turns them into college credit — so you can finish your degree faster, spend less, and build on your strengths. It is a more accessible, affordable path to academic and career advancement, especially for adult and nontraditional learners.
As recovery efforts accelerate following the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, demand for skilled professionals in architecture, drafting, interior design, construction, and fire-resilient building practices will continue to grow. Expanding enrollment in construction-related programs is essential to developing a workforce equipped with the technical skills, industry-recognized certifications, and sustainable design expertise needed to rebuild safer, stronger, and more resilient communities. By integrating Credit for Prior Learning, accelerating credential attainment, and aligning training with regional workforce priorities, these programs provide accessible pathways into high-wage, high-demand careers while ensuring employers have the skilled talent necessary to support long-term recovery and economic growth. Investing in construction education is not only an investment in workforce development — it is an investment in rebuilding homes.
Learn more about SMC’s Construction related programs Below
A question-driven directory to guide you through recovery — from immediate safety to long-term rebuilding. Pick where you are right now.
Right now — safety, shelter, food, and emergency contacts.
First steps — claims, documents, temporary housing, and financial help.
Long-term — permits, contractors, grants, and getting back home.
For local businesses — Chamber resources, SBA disaster loans, and recovery grants.
Free counseling and support services for students and community members affected by the fires.
Tuition-free noncredit classes & certificates in business, health, education, and STEM.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
If you don't have insurance, you may still qualify for disaster assistance through FEMA. FEMA can help cover temporary housing, basic home repairs, and other essential needs after a disaster. You can also get support from local and state programs, as well as nonprofit organizations like the American Red Cross.
To begin recovery or apply for disaster assistance, you'll typically need a valid ID, your Social Security number, proof of address, and any insurance information if you have it. Agencies like FEMA may also ask for photos of damage and basic financial or housing information to process your application.
You'll need to contact the agency that issued each document, such as the DMV for a driver's license or the U.S. Department of State for a passport. After a disaster, you can also visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, where staff can help guide you through replacing important documents and connect you with the right services.
You may qualify for financial assistance through FEMA, which can help with temporary housing, home repairs, and essential needs. Additional support is often available through state and local programs, including housing assistance, small business relief, and nonprofit organizations like the American Red Cross and local charities.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Start by contacting your insurance company to understand your coverage and next steps, then check with your local city or county office about rebuilding requirements and permits. You can also get guidance through FEMA and local recovery programs, which may offer support for rebuilding and navigating the process.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
Answer coming soon. In the meantime, call 211 for local support or 911 in an emergency.
If you can't afford to rebuild, you may still have options. FEMA may provide financial assistance for essential repairs or temporary housing, and you may qualify for low-interest disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Additional help may be available through state programs and nonprofit organizations that support long-term recovery.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to help businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters recover from declared disasters such as the California wildfires. SBA loans can cover physical damage to property, equipment, inventory, and economic injury losses while your business is unable to operate normally.
Right now, once a housing project gets approved, builders still have to go through a "plan-check" process where the city reviews the detailed construction plans before work can start. This step can drag on for months, with cities asking for review after review, sending plans out to third parties, or having inspectors demand changes on-site that don't match what was already approved.
AB 1621 would put limits on that process. Cities could only require two plan-check reviews per project (unless there's a genuine safety issue), couldn't outsource reviews just to buy more time, and would have to issue decisions on permit appeals faster: 30 business days for smaller projects, 45 for larger ones. It would also stop inspectors from requiring changes that don't match the plans the city already signed off on.
This bill has strong, rare support. It passed every committee and the full Assembly without a single "no" vote, and it's backed by both business groups and housing advocates. That kind of agreement makes it likely to become law. It's currently sitting in a routine Senate budget review (hearing Aug 3), which is a normal step, not a warning sign.
Why it matters here: The bill technically applies to housing projects, but it should also help commercial and mixed-use buildings that include ground-floor retail. Faster, more predictable permit timelines mean new storefronts and businesses can open sooner, with less of the back-and-forth delay that can currently slow things down in Santa Monica.
Applies to: Homeowners rebuilding after the fires Small businesses reopening or relocating Mixed-use developments with ground-floor retail
Read the full bill on leginfo.legislature.ca.govBrowse work from across our programs — each course is collapsible so you can dive into the projects that matter most to you.
Design events, mentorship workshops, and a NOMA-led architecture bootcamp for rebuilding the Palisades.
The Design by Diversity Day was a free community event celebrating creativity, innovation, and inspiration at the intersection of architecture, design, engineering, and construction. Organized by Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA), the event brought together hundreds of students, families, educators, professionals, and community members for a day filled with hands-on activities, information booths hosted by local firms, colleges, and community organizations, mentoring sessions, keynote speakers, and free food.
The Design Leadership Foundation partnered with Santa Monica College to host on-campus professional development workshops connecting LA-based design professionals with architecture and interior design students. These annual events featured industry presentations, interactive roundtable discussions, and direct pathways to mentorship and internships, supporting the Foundation's mission to foster diversity and provide young people with meaningful access to the global design and architecture fields.
This collaborative initiative paired Santa Monica College (SMC) Architecture students with mentors from the NOMA Project Pipeline, empowering youth to drive change in their communities through design.
The Architecture Camp connected high school students with Santa Monica College mentors through a semester-long design program focused on rebuilding fire-affected communities in Altadena. Participants developed proposals for a new elementary school while SMC student mentors provided guidance, feedback, and support throughout the design process.
PR storytelling, interviews, PSAs, podcasts, and reporting on the Palisades Fire from SMC's Corsair newspaper.
Student journalists at SMC's award-winning Corsair newspaper covered the fires and the recovery up close. Read their full stories on The Corsair website:
In Journalism 43 / Business 29: Public Relations and Publicity, students explored the role of communication, media strategy, and storytelling during moments of community crisis and recovery. Through the lens of public relations, students developed press materials, media messaging, and user-generated content (UGC) focused on the impact and aftermath of the Palisades and Altadena fires. The course challenged students to think critically about how stories are shared, amplified, and shaped across modern media platforms.
The exhibition showcases interviews, reflections, and short-form media content capturing the resilience of individuals, families, businesses, and community leaders affected by the fires. Drawing from professional public relations practices — including media outreach, publicity campaigns, and digital storytelling — students created content designed for contemporary platforms and audiences. The work demonstrates how strategic communication can inform, connect, and support communities while preserving the personal stories behind large-scale events.
Students from Journ 16 and Photo 14 / Journ 22 — the writing and photography staff of Santa Monica College's award-winning Corsair newspaper — documented the college and community's ongoing efforts to support recovery after the Palisades Fire. Through reporting, interviews, photography, and social media storytelling, students captured both the immediate response and the human stories emerging from the recovery process.
The project challenged students to apply journalistic and visual storytelling skills in real-world conditions, producing continuing coverage for The Corsair news website and social media platforms. Their work highlights the role student journalists can play in informing, connecting, and supporting communities during moments of crisis and rebuilding.
Mini-documentaries, podcasts, and PSAs from high school Creator Squads working at SMC's Center for Media and Design.
This SMC + HS Collaborative brought together students from Pacific Palisades Charter and Venice High Schools for a one-day media production experience at Santa Monica College's Center for Media and Design (CMD). Working in mixed-school "Creator Squads," students produced mini-documentaries, podcasts, and public service announcements centered on themes of community, support, resilience, and moving forward.
Using a shared "Story Bank" model, students contributed audio, video, photography, and written reflections prior to the event, which were then developed into collaborative media projects during an intensive production workshop. Grounded in trauma-informed practices, the experience emphasized student voice, ethical media creation, collaboration, and community engagement.
Students reflected that the most rewarding aspects of the experience included "hearing other stories," "meeting new people," and "becoming a true team," highlighting the project's impact in fostering connection, empathy, creativity, and confidence across schools.
Below: a gallery of moments from the production day, followed by the final HS Creator Squad video projects.
Students in Media 20 conducted in-depth interviews with community members, first responders, and local leaders about the impact of the Palisades and Altadena fires. The interviews highlight personal stories of loss, resilience, and recovery — captured through the lens of student journalists learning the craft of long-form audio and video storytelling.
UX students designed both a public-facing website and the physical exhibition for the Fire Recovery Grant.
User Experience (UX) 2 expands beyond traditional web and mobile design to explore holistic, real-world user experiences across digital, physical, and speculative systems. For the Fire Recovery Grant, students developed content and helped design the experience for both a public-facing website (coming soon) and the physical exhibition on display today.
Student work in this class included storytelling content, exhibition materials, and experience design elements that support community engagement around fire recovery efforts.
The devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires destroyed nearly 17,000 structures, burned approximately 40,000 acres, and caused an estimated $28 billion to $53.8 billion in property damage, with billions more in business interruption losses. While rebuilding efforts are underway, the region faces a significant shortage of skilled workers, creating a workforce gap that threatens to delay recovery, increase rebuilding costs, and slow economic revitalization.
The scale of destruction caused by the Palisades and Eaton Fires requires a coordinated, long-term workforce development response. Community Colleges are serving as essential partners in that response by preparing the skilled workforce needed to rebuild homes, businesses, infrastructure, and communities throughout the region.
Funding has enabled colleges to align educational programs with evolving workforce needs in architecture, engineering, construction, design, sustainability, and related fields. Faculty are working closely with employers to ensure curriculum remains responsive to industry demands, while students gain valuable hands-on experiences, work-based learning opportunities, and exposure to real-world rebuilding projects.
Working together enables colleges, employers, workforce agencies, businesses, and community organizations to maximize resources, expand opportunities, and accelerate equitable recovery for the communities impacted by the wildfires.
Together, let's rebuild LA.
Office of Workforce and Economic Development
Santa Monica College
www.smc.edu/workforcedevelopment
workforce@smc.edu · (310) 434-4199
Following the January wildfires in Los Angeles County, the SMC Foundation launched a rapid response initiative, including food and clothing distribution and emergency financial aid. Within days, fundraising began, and tailored applications were distributed to students and employees. The first grants were awarded by February 5, 2025.
To date, over $1.7 million has been raised. Relief grants were categorized based on impact:
In total, 82 students and 20 employees received aid, amounting to $736,000 across two rounds. A third round of $726,000 is planned for current students, including recent graduates from impacted high schools. The Foundation also partnered with Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD), awarding $250,000 in subgrants to support 32 families and 15 employees. SMMUSD adopted SMC's vetting process to ensure equitable distribution.
Donate or learn more at the SMC Foundation → View the Fire Relief Presentation (PDF) →
The Chamber is a key partner in our fire recovery efforts, connecting local businesses with rebuild committees, networking opportunities, and workforce-development workshops. Through this partnership, SMC and the Chamber have supported 40+ businesses impacted by the Palisades and Eaton Fires with resources to recover, reopen, and rebuild stronger.
Explore Chamber business resources & events →
A timeline of the grant year — the milestones, events, and student work that carried this community from the first days of relief through the rebuild.
The Architecture Camp connected high school students with Santa Monica College mentors through a semester-long design program focused on rebuilding fire-affected communities in Altadena. Participants developed proposals for a new elementary school while SMC student mentors provided guidance, feedback, and support throughout the design process.
Students created this by researching, voicing, editing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) with information pertinent to victims of the Palisades and Altadena fires. Information in the PSA’s includes: process of rebuilding their house, difficulty with insurance companies and how to deal with the situation, affordable housing options and various other resources to rebuild.
This industry panel brought together architecture and interior architecture professionals to discuss the long-term impacts of the Southern California wildfires on design, rebuilding, and community recovery. Panelists shared insights on evolving permitting processes, future design considerations, and strategies for supporting clients throughout the rebuilding journey.
This SMC + HS Collaborative brought together students from Pacific Palisades Charter and Venice High Schools for a one-day media production experience at Santa Monica College’s Center for Media and Design (CMD). Working in mixed-school “Creator Squads,” students produced mini-documentaries, podcasts, and public service announcements centered on themes of community, support, resilience, and moving forward. Using a shared “Story Bank” model, students contributed audio, video, photography, and written reflections prior to the event, which were then developed into collaborative media projects during an intensive production workshop. Journalism student worker photojournalists documented the event.
Students collaborated with the Santa Monica College Fire Recovery Program to create user-generated content documenting the impact, aftermath, and resilience of communities affected by the January 2025 Palisades and Altadena fires. Through interviews with students, families, faculty, business owners, and community leaders, the project produced digital stories and media assets designed for the Fire Recovery website and social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, and blogs.
Dozens of people gathered for early morning Mass on Easter Sunday at St. Joseph’s Chapel in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The pews were full, but most in attendance were not members of the congregation. They were parishioners from the Corpus Christi Catholic Church, which burned down during the Palisades Fire in 2025. Monsignor Liam Kidney, Corpus Christi’s main priest for 27 years, led Mass inside the borrowed chapel where the displaced congregation has gathered for the last year. Although 80% to 90% of the parish now lives scattered throughout Southern California since the fire, many of its members still drive several hours every week to maintain their relationship with the parish, according to Kidney. Lorraine Hartman, Corpus Christi Parish Office Manager and Santa Monica College alumna, evacuated her office during the Palisades Fire. She graduated from SMC in 1979 with an associate's degree in accounting shortly before the birth of her first daughter.Read the full story on The Corsair →
The Design by Diversity Day was a free community event for all elementary, middle, and high school students, families, educators, professionals, and community members interested in celebrating creativity, innovation, and inspiration at the intersection of architecture, design, engineering, and construction. Organized by Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA), the event brought together hundreds of students, families, educators, professionals, and community members for a day filled with hands-on activities, information booths hosted by local firms, colleges, and community organizations, mentoring sessions, keynote speakers, and free food.
Created by students who researched, voiced, edited a Podcast show with information pertinent to victims of the Palisades and Altadena fires. Information in the Podcast with various conversations that include victims of the fires and their process of rebuilding their house, difficulty with insurance companies and how to deal with the situation, and affordable housing options.
Students collaborated with the Santa Monica College Fire Recovery Program to create user-generated content documenting the impact, aftermath, and resilience of communities affected by the January 2025 Palisades and Altadena fires. Through interviews with students, families, faculty, business owners, and community leaders, the project produced digital stories and media assets designed for the Fire Recovery website and social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, and blogs.
Instagram Video: Corsair News reporters Nathan Hanson and Patrick Conlon attended the weekly Geography Club meeting on Tuesday, May 19, at SMC to ask students their thoughts on the lasting impact of the 2025 Palisades Fires and the sustainability of rebuilding in fire-prone areas. They met with the Geography Professors Jing Liu and Pete Morris to get an in-depth analysis of the fires and the rebuilding efforts currently underway.
Short-form videos from the After the Fire interview series — student-produced stories capturing the people, places, and moments of the recovery.
Out-of-work day laborers affected by the Los Angeles wildfires of 2025 can enroll in a noncredit English as a second language course at Santa Monica College to improve their resumes. “It’s completely free. Your biggest investment is your time,” said Luis Jauregui, a project manager at the college. While day laborers have priority enrollment, the course is open to anyone over the age of 18 without F-1 visa restrictions. Classes will be held at SMC’s Malibu Campus starting June 22 through July 31 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., the college’s website states. Read the full story on The Corsair →
In the first hours of the Palisades Fire, Joe D’Amore had an impossible decision to make: save his house or his restaurant. The choice was ultimately made for him. Read the full story on The Corsair → View the Instagram post →
Continuing coverage and campus reactions to the mistrial of the accused arsonist in the Palisades Fire. Read on The Corsair →
This free summer program continued its focus on the fire rebuild process, using the 5-step design process to introduce students to architecture, interior design, and construction — with NOMA debuting new designs for the destroyed Altadena school at SMC, covered by The Corsair.
Ongoing reporting on campus reactions, vox populi, and law and criminal justice perspectives on campus. Criminal justice teachers were interviewed, and the story was edited with editors for publication. Read on The Corsair →
Around 30 high school students from across Southern California showcased their plans to rebuild the Odyssey Charter School at SMC’s Center for Media and Design, in SoCal NOMA’s annual architecture boot camp focused on rebuilding Altadena after the 2025 fires. Read on The Corsair →
