In May, UNITE-LA facilitated the third Real World of STEAM cohort in collaboration with our South L.A. Scholars and UNITE-LA’s L.A. Cash for College team. Focused on “Exploring Careers in Health Care and Life Sciences,” the program exposed 60 youth to STEAM career pathways with a special focus on Health Care, Life Sciences and Biotechnology.

Over the seven-week, 40-hour program, UNITE-LA hosted 13 sessions for youth, ages 16-24, referred by three YouthSource Center partners—Boyle Heights Technology Youth Center, Para Los Niños and UCLA YouthSource Center—along with 22 students from South Los Angeles area high schools, including Susan Miller Dorsey Sports Medicine Magnet, Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet and Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet.

The programming included career panels, virtual job shadows and career information sessions with professionals representing 16 industry partners moderated by staff. Youth were exposed to emerging careers in health care pathways, required education and skill levels, earning potential, and the future demands for jobs in the health sciences. They also  participated in peer breakout sessions focused on Health Care, Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Six South L.A. Scholars participants were also accepted into Kaiser Permanente’s paid, six-week Summer Youth Employment Program and placed at their KP-Los Angeles Medical Center.  

The program was presented in partnership with the Office of Mayor Garcetti, the City of L.A. Economic Development Department, professional associations and local employers, including: the Association of Black Women Physicians, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Grifols, Kaiser Permanente and  the Los Angeles Chargers.