The PCAH 8th Edition (page 99) states: “Pursuant to Education Code § 78015 Labor Market Information (LMI) data is specifically required for all new CTE program proposals, where available. Current LMI and analysis, or other comparable information, must show that jobs are available for program completers within the local service area of the individual college and/or that job enhancement or promotion justifies the proposed curriculum. Regional, statewide, or national labor market evidence may be included as supplementary support, but evidence of need in the specific college service area or region is also necessary.”

As the first step in the program recommendation process, the college must submit a labor market data request through the Centers of Excellence (COE) Request for Labor Market Information form.

• LMI data requests should be submitted before the curriculum has been developed. The LMI data request signals to the other colleges that a college may be interested in developing a program in this TOP Code.
• Colleges that have additional occupational data and information (e.g., employer advisory minutes) are encouraged to submit it to COE with the data request. The additional information may help inform the LMI report.

Within two business days of receiving an LMI data request, the COE will send an email confirmation to the requestor(s) listed on the request, as well as the SCCRC Voting Member Dean.

Once the COE confirmation is received, the requestor should verify that:

• The title of the program is the same as the title that will subsequently be submitted for program recommendation;
• The request type is accurate; AND
• The TOP and CIP codes are the same as the codes that will subsequently be submitted for program recommendation

As of March 21, 2025, colleges no longer have to submit the Notice of Intent to Submit Program for Regional Recommendation Google Form. Prior to each SCCRC Regional Meeting, the COE will share the list of LMI data requests received from SCCRC colleges. The LMI data request serves as the Notice of Intent (NOI). The following types of requests will be included on the SCCRC Monthly Meeting Agenda:

• New, credit CTE programs
• Existing low-unit, local certificates for state chaptering
• Program modifications

The following types of requests are NOT included on the SCCRC Monthly Meeting Agenda

• Noncredit vocational programs
  • These programs do not require regional recommendation and are not included on the agenda.
  • However, SCCRC community colleges are encouraged to submit LMI data requests for these programs.
• Exploratory requests
  • SCCRC community colleges are encouraged to submit LMI data requests for exploratory purposes when they are considering an idea for a CTE program.
  • However, if the college later wants to submit a program recommendation application, the LMI data request will have to appear on a SCCRC Monthly Meeting agenda prior to program recommendation.

The Chancellor’s Office and the SCCRC rely on consistent LMI data provided by the region’s Center of Excellence (COE) to make a recommendation for program approval. An LMI report is required for all program submissions that are:

• NO MORE THAN ONE YEAR OLD for LMI requests submitted on or after March 21, 2025; OR
• NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS OLD for LMI requests submitted before March 21, 2025

The COE produces the LMI report typically within four weeks, and sends it to the requestor(s) and the SCCRC Voting Member Dean. This report needs to be uploaded to the Program Submission page on the RegionalCTE website. At their discretion, colleges may submit other LMI data in addition to the LMI provided by the COE.

• • LMI Data Request Form
  • See sample program recommendation and LMI reports at the Center of Excellence website
  • See Perkins Qualifying Occupations in the South Central Coast Region

For any questions regarding LMI, contact the South Central Coast Center of Excellence Director: Jacob Poore at jacob.poore@canyons.edu or (661) 362-3982

Log in to www.regionalcte.org. In addition to general program information, you will provide a narrative response to the topics listed below. These narrative responses should be the SAME responses you will provide to the CCCCO when you are ready to submit your program for formal approval (chaptering) by the Chancellor’s Office.

• Program Goals and Objectives – must address a valid workforce preparation purpose and may address transfer preparation.
• Catalog Description – includes program requirements, prerequisite skills or enrollment limitations, student learning outcomes, and information relevant to program goal.
• Program Requirements – includes course requirements and sequencing that reflect program goals. The GE pattern and the calculations used to reach the degree total must be shown following the program requirements table.
• Enrollment and Completer Projections – projection of number of students to earn degree annually.
  In addition to the narrative responses above, you will also attach the following to your submission:
• LMI Report – provided by the COE and any other LMI data that you may have.

Once the program is submitted via the online system, the Regional Consortium Chair is notified and will initiate the regional review and voting process.  The region is committed to a 2-week minimum review, and will act on all requests for regional recommendation within 30 days, provided the request is complete at the time it is submitted.  

The Regional Chair and the Center of Excellence will review the submitted programs and ensure that the required LMI documentation is provided and up to date, prior to opening voting. Voting will be done using the online voting and comment feature on the RegionalCTE website. Emails will be automatically generated to the CTE voting deans notifying them that voting is now open.

Our aim is that each college is represented by one vote from a “voting Dean” designated by their college. We initiate voting reminders via email, and if needed, phone calls. Once a minimum of 5 “Recommended” votes are cast and certified, SCCRC will modify the status of the program from “Under Review” to “Recommended.” 

SCCRC notifies the program submitter and voting Dean of the college via email, informing them of the final status of their submitted program and that formal documentation of this will be found in the minutes of the upcoming SCCRC Regional Meeting following the date of recommendation.

Your responsibility to submit documentation as required by the State Chancellor’s Office is elaborated upon in the Chancellor’s Office Program and Course Approval Handbook (PCAH), 8th Edition, 2020