Bargain Hunting
Where can you get a haircut and blow-dry for $7 or a manicure for $2.50? How about a VCR repaired, labor-free?
The West Valley and North Valley Occupational centers offer the public these and many other services at discount prices.
As part of their learning experience, students work on cars, reupholster furniture and repair computers and other items at these trade schools run by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Labor is free; customers pay only for materials and a nominal work-order fee. All work is done under the supervision of an instructor, but will generally take longer than usual because it is done by students during class.
“It provides a chance for students to have actual work, [as] opposed to work given to them by their teacher,” said Loretta Walker, LAUSD’s director of regional occupational centers and programs. “The only drawback is that [patrons] have to be patient.”
Here’s a look at the services available to the public at the West Valley and North Valley Occupational centers:
West Valley Occupational Center
6200 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills
(818) 346-3540
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday
Opened: 1965
Annual enrollment: 12,000
Full- and part-time instructors: 97
Age range: 16 to 60+
Average age: 30
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A campus snapshot
Although the campus lacks the sprawling grounds of its neighbor, Pierce College, the West Valley Occupational Center offers instruction in a wide array of careers. Programs range from the eight-week certified nurse assistant/home health aide program, which costs $35, to cosmetology, which costs $400 to $500 and takes a one to 1 1/2 years to complete. Classes are offered in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and on Saturday mornings.
Aside from the many bungalows and asphalt walkways, the West Valley Occupational Center has a modern three-story business education building, a small park that is used for graduation ceremonies and a state Employment Development Department branch office. The campus has a learning lab where students can improve their English, reading and math skills, and a children’s center open to kids ages 2 to 5 whose parents are taking classes.
North Valley Occupational Center
11450 Sharp Ave., Mission Hills
(818) 365-9645
Office hours: 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
Opened: 1969
Annual enrollment: 16,000
Full- and part-time instructors: 147
Age range of students: 16 to 80+
Average age: 34
A campus snapshot
The North Valley Occupational Center divides itself among three locations, made up of the main campus in Mission Hills, the Pacoima Skills Center, and the Aircraft Mechanics School next to the Van Nuys Airport control tower.
The main campus offers some of the same classes as West Valley Occupational Center, but also welding, machine shop and cable television installation. Composed mainly of bungalows, the main campus also has a two-story business building, a small park with a pond and waterfall, and a children’s center for kids 3 to 5.
The Pacoima Skills Center, situated off campus in a leased two-story commercial building, puts its emphasis on short-term training programs such as computer operator and electronic assembler.
The Aircraft Mechanics School has an 1,800-hour program to train adult and high school students for jobs in aviation and aerospace.
Services available to the public:
Payment by cash or check only. All labor is free; customer pays for parts/materials, plus $20 work order fee (except for career center services). Call for hours.
Auto body shop: (Room 60)
Three estimates required prior to bringing in vehicle. Spot painting only, no complete paint jobs or restoration work. No appointment required for estimate. Cars must be no less than 10 years old. Average job: 1 1/2 to three weeks
Auto repair: (Room 60)
Most engine work performed including tuneups, brakes and electrical. Appointment required to drop off vehicle. Average repair takes three to five days.
Auto upholstery: (Room 67)
Vinyl and convertible tops, dashboards, headliners, carpeting, seats and motor-home interiors replaced. No appointment needed for estimate. Average job: 1 day to 2 weeks.
Bakery: (Room 49)
Wide array of baked goods available at discount prices including breads, pastries, birthday cakes and wedding cakes.
Career center: (Room 20)
Provides vocational testing, career assessment and counseling and help with resume writing and interviewing. Services free to students; minimal fee for the public. Ten-session career workshop held twice a year for $35.
Cosmetology: (Room 16)
No appointment necessary for full-service hair and nail salon. Senior-citizen discount available Tuesday and Wednesday for some services.
Plant Nursery: (Room 5)
Discount plant sale first Friday morning of every month
Print Shop: (Room 47)
Newsletters and business cards printed for nonprofit organizations only. No commercial printing. Average job: varies.
Signs: (Room 27)
Poster-size to banner-size hand-painted or vinyl signs made. Appointment required. Average job: 1 month.
Most popular programs
Air conditioning/refrigeration
Auto mechanics
Bank teller
Child care worker
Cosmetology
Data entry
Graphic design
Medical secretary
Nursing
Word processing
Services for the public
Payment by cash or check only. All labor is free; customer pays for parts/materials, plus $20 work-order fee (except for career-center services). Call for hours.
Auto body and paint: (Room M2)
Work performed on cars preferably 10 years or newer. No work on cars that are totaled. One estimate required for major body work. Appointment preferred. Average body work: one to two weeks. Average paint job: one to two weeks.
Auto repair: (Rooms M4, M5, M7)
Front-end work, brakes, alignment, shocks, struts, smog-certification preparation and tuneups. Appointment required to drop off car. Same-day service for tuneups.
Career Center: (CA)
Provides vocational testing and help with resume writing and interviewing. Appointment required. No fee currently charged to public.
Computer repair: (Rooms 17 & 18)
All types of computers, printers, scanners and modems fixed. Appointments preferred. Average repair: one week.
Refrigeration and air conditioning: (Room 5)
Repairs made to refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioning window units and microwave ovens. Unit must be portable. Appointments preferred. Average job: one week.
Upholstery: (Room 102)
Furniture upholstery only. Customer gets estimate from instructor and chooses fabric before dropping off item. Average job: two months.
VCR repair: (located at Pacoima Skills Center, 13545 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima)
All makes of VHS-format machines fixed. Call to get on waiting list. Average job: two weeks.
Welding: (Room M6)
Repairs made to lawn furniture, dinette sets; can fabricate large barbecues, trailers, beds and theater props. Call for appointment. Average job: varies.
Most popular programs
Auto body repair
Auto-emission technician
Computer operator
Computer repair
Electronics
Emergency medical technician
Machinist
Refrigeration engineer
Nursing
Welding
Sources: West Valley Occupational Center, North Valley Occupational Center; researched by STEPHANIE STASSEL/Los Angeles Times
