Graduate Success Stories & Testimonials

The California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) Academy graduated its first class in June 2018.

The program was a 6-month long, 12-hour a week commitment that was tuition free thanks to a grant from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Candidates were able to complete entry level written and physical testing requirements, while earning EMT certification. In total, 18 cadets graduated the program and all of them passed the National Registry Exam to become an EMT, the highest pass rate in the state. Twenty-eight percent of the graduates were women, compared with the overall work force, which is about five percent female. The graduates are also ethnically diverse with 17% identifying as Hispanic, 17% identifying as African American and 11% identifying as Asian.

All graduates were placed on FCTC’s Statewide Eligibility List, providing a diverse pool of high-quality candidates to the over 125 departments that use the list for hiring. Each were guaranteed an interview with the Sacramento City Fire Department as well. The Butte County Office of Education had also offered a $500 scholarship to all academy attendees to use toward tuition and/or books at any community college or state university. Many of the cadets used the scholarship to enroll in a pre-paramedic program.

“We had 18 individuals that gained a path into the fire service who would have otherwise had no opportunities to get in,” said Yvonne de la Peña, executive director of the Cal-JAC. “This program changed the trajectory of their lives and serving their communities has given them a new purpose.” The graduation ceremony, held at Sacramento’s Crest Theater, included remarks by Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg, who praised the program for making a positive difference.

In June 2019, the Cal-JAC Academy graduated a new wave of pre-apprentices.

The Cal-JAC Academy is a groundbreaking pre-apprenticeship program designed to build a more diverse fire service in California to represent the communities they serve.

The latest class consisted of men and women from all walks of life. From mothers, to veterans and individuals from disadvantaged communities – these graduates will help enrich the fire service as they continue in their career.

The class of 19-1 sent 16 cadets off to pursue their dream of becoming a firefighter as certified EMTs and qualified candidates on FCTC’s Statewide Eligibility List (SEL). Their class motto “Whatever it Takes,” was nothing short of the dedication and perseverance these cadets showed to their training, academics and commitment to the firefighter profession.