March 28, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

A Hip Kind Of Education Comes Together At General Assembly In Santa Monica:

A community that offers new opportunities and career chances exists in the form of General Assembly, a Santa Monica educational institution that specializes in technology, business, and design.

With the continuing advancement of technology also comes a high demand for technical talent in the work field.

For those seeking to attain such skills in an efficient, effective, and relatively quick way in order to gain more marketability as a potential employee, General Assembly may well be the perfect fit.

Along with the rest of General Assembly’s founders and staff, Sarah Tilton, the regional director of the Los Angeles/Santa Monica branch, affectionately refers to their building as a “campus,” which frames General Assembly as a school and emphasizes its commitment to education.

The success of the school-like atmosphere is undeniable, as there are classrooms, study areas, and a small kitchen that provides meals and snacks. There is also a student lounge, which Tilton deems as “the heart and soul of General Assembly,” that was bustling with busy pupils getting seated for an interactive lecture.

The close-knit student population shares a common denominator: a genuine interest in their education.

The passion of the General Assembly students is demonstrated simply by looking at the walls of the campus, some of which are made of whiteboard material. They display the students’ hard work in equations and visuals, acting as a canvas for the brainstorming that occurs when the students have to develop their own apps for their projects.

There have even been requests to reconstruct the ceilings out of whiteboard material so that there is more room to write.

Students range from high schoolers to employees who want to shift career paths. “There are a lot of professionals who are simply wanting to level up or stay relevant,” Tilton said.

This comes as no surprise, especially in today’s rapid technological climate. What with the success of the company’s nine other national and worldwide locations, including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney, Los Angeles seemed promising as a new market.

General Assembly plans on sort of studying Los Angeles and figuring out the components of its tech scene. “There is an incredible need in LA for people with hard skills,” Tilton said. “There is a shortage of technical talent.”

General Assembly originated in New York in 2011, where Tilton initially started working as an intern after hearing about the company and its educational mission from one of her college professors.

The company began as a community of entrepreneurs who wanted to share best practices and ideas. Tilton, like many of the company’s students, wanted to explore tech development and perhaps seek a career change.

There are a variety of classes available for people at all stages in life, including part-time and full-time courses as well as one-time classes and workshops.

The part-time courses are ideal for those who seek to keep their day job and tack on some useful evening classes.

Students or employees who commute often use the classes as a fun excuse to make a night out of the trip to Santa Monica, grabbing dinner or a movie before or afterward.

For those who can commit a bit more time out of their schedule and are seeking more of a career change, the full-time, immersive 8-to-12 week courses from 9 am to 5 pm every weekday would be the choice to opt for. Though this option requires more dedication, the immersive courses will function much like a school class schedule and will naturally result in heftier learning outcomes.

General Assembly explores an even more extensive diversity of topics in its offered classes, from a simple Intro to Photoshop class to a more substantive product management course.

An old-school style apprentice program is available as well so that students can get a better idea of what they want in regards to their future jobs.

Class prices can range from free to a few thousand dollars, depending on the subject matter.

Currently, there is an even mix of part-time and full-time students, with a versatile age range as well.

The students usually range from 25 years old to 44 years old, with the oldest student thus far being 87 – and also serving as the landlord of General Assembly’s property.

Many want to learn to code so that they can later seek relevant entry-level jobs, while others may simply want to “dabble in HTML or CSS.”

Students of virtually any level can enroll, but there is a certain level of capability needed, depending on the type of class that is taken. There is a requirement of a high school degree, as well as participation in an interview process.

Another prerequisite is the completion of Dash, an online platform that teaches basic web development, which requires 12-16 hours of pre-work.  

Dash is a prerequisite for General Assembly’s Web Development Immersive (WDI) course, which teaches beginners to become junior coders in 12 weeks.

Dash is also available to anyone with Internet access who is interested in learning standard tech skills.

Among the students at the Santa Monica location, there is currently a 100 percent employment rate of WDI graduates within three months of class completion of the corresponding WDI course.

It is clear that the educational mission of General Assembly has been nothing short of absolutely successful.

General Assembly is located at 1520 2nd Street in Santa Monica. For more information, e-mail la@generalassemb.ly or hello@generalassemb.ly, or visit generalassemb.ly.

in News
Related Posts

 (Video) Philz Coffee Set to Close Westside Location Next Month

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

The Franchise Recently Made Headlines for Changing Headquarters @smmirrornews Philz is closing its Santa Monica shop #coffeeaddict #coffee #coffeeshop #losangeles...

Fleurs et Sel Bakery Opens Storefront in West Adams, Welcomes Customers Three Days a Week

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Indulge in Freshly Baked Cookies at the New West Adams Location Fleurs et Sel Bakery, known for its delectable cookies...

Easter Specials Guide: Brunch Spots, Desserts, and More in West Los Angeles

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Discover the Best Easter Eats and Treats in LA for Your Holiday Celebration Easter is almost here, so here are...

Famous Literary Critic and Palisadian Passes Away at 92

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

A Memoriam Post Stated She Overturned Views on T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound and Other Canonized Artists By Zach Armstrong...

Mixed-Use Development Set for Sloping Property along Chautauqua Boulevard

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

“Canyon Place” Is Set to Include Two Apartment Units and 1,415 Sq. Ft. of Office Space By Zach Armstrong A...

Over Five Miles of Venice Blvd. to Temporarily Close, Become Public Park in April

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

The Initiative, Which Started in 2010, Aims to Connect Communities and Promote Sustainable Transportation Options On Sunday, April 21 from...

(Video) Workers Strike at Luxury Hotel in Downtown Santa Monica

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Meanwhile, Unite Here Local 11 Recently Announced a Contract Was Ratified at 34 Hotels @smmirrornews Workers are striking at Proper...

(Video) Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE at the Beyond Fest Screening...

Historic Union Contract Ratified by Thousands of Hotel Workers At 34 Hotels

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

UNITE HERE Local 11 Negotiates Agreement Ensuring Wage Increases  Hotel workers, who spearheaded the largest hotel strike in modern U.S....

Teen Kung Fu Coming to Pali Rec Center

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

This 8-week session, priced at $160, commences in April 2024 Palisades Recreation Center introduces Teen Kung Fu classes, fostering a...

After Securing $200K Grant, City Embarks on Action Plan for Older Adults, People with Disabilities and Caregivers

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

The City Will Engage Experts, Nonprofit Partners, Commissioners, and Stakeholders to Spearhead the Planning Process The city of Santa Monica...

City Commences Phase 2 of Beach Restoration Project

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

The Project Will Enlarge the Habitat for Significant Native Species, Including the Federally Threatened Western Snowy Plover Phase 2 of...

Caltrans Extends Closure on Topanga Canyon Boulevard Due to Mud and Rockslide

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

PCH Closure on March 26 Adds to Local Road Closures, Seek Alternative Routes The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has...

Animal Rights Groups Demand an End to Turtle Racing at Brennan’s Pub

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

The Organization Says Its Tried to Contact the Westside Bar for Months By Zach Armstrong Among its numerous entertainment events...

SMC Unveils Spring 2024 Issue of Acclaimed Literary Journal, Author Readings Coming in April

March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

The Issue Presents a Mix of New, Returning, and Debut Writers, Reflecting Diversity and Enduring Relationships Santa Monica College announced...