• Calendar
  • Directory
  • Locations / Centers
  • Distance Education
  • Calendar
  • Directory
  • AccessRio
  • Canvas
  • Bookstore
AccessRio Login logo
  • Click to login to Canvas
  • Click to view Campus Map
  • Click to view our Bookstore
Rio Hondo College logo
Navigation
  • Admissions & Aid
    • Admissions
      • Apply Now and Next Steps
      • AccessRio
      • Admissions & Records
      • Bachelor of Science Degree
      • Continuing Education (Noncredit)
      • Dual Enrollment (K-12 and Adult Ed)
      • Fees & Refunds
      • International Students
      • Registration
      • Residency Information
      • Student Forms
      • Transcripts
      • Virtual Campus Tour
      • Virtual Welcome Center
    • Financial Aid
      • Types of Aid
      • Steps to Apply
      • Forms
      • Keeping Your Aid
      • Links and Resources
      • Scholarships
      • Veterans Benefits
    • Academics
      • Academic Calendar
      • Academic Dates & Deadlines
      • Bookstore
      • Canvas
      • Class Schedule
      • College Catalog
      • Continuing Education (Noncredit)
      • Distance Education
      • Final Exam Schedule
    • Basic Needs
      • Child Care
      • COVID-19 Information
      • Food Pantry (RioSource Room)
      • Food Resources
      • Health Services
      • Housing Services
      • Psychological Services
      • RioSource for Social Services
      • Transportation and Maps
    • Complete Your Path
      • Petition to Graduate
      • Career Center
      • Graduation Ceremony
      • Jobs and Internships
      • Transfer Center
      • Transfer Programs
  • Academics & Support
    • Academic Pathways
      • Explore Areas of Interest
      • Degrees and Certificates
      • Academic Divisions
      • Academic Student Success Teams
      • Major Exploration Videos
    • Support Programs
      • Support Programs
      • Disabled Students Program (DSPS)
      • Career & Adult Re-entry Services
      • Counseling Center
      • Transfer Center
      • Tutoring
      • Student Success Videos
    • Academics
      • Academic Calendar
      • Academic Dates & Deadlines
      • Canvas
      • Class Schedule
      • College Catalog
      • Continuing Education (Noncredit)
      • Distance Education
      • Final Exam Schedule
    • Technical Support
      • Chromebooks, WiFi Hotspots, Calculators
      • Office 365 for Students
      • Student Printing Services
      • Tech Support for AccessRio
      • Tech Support for Canvas
    • Student Resources
      • Bookstore
      • COVID-19 Information
      • Health Services
      • Library Services
      • Psychological Services
      • RioSource for Social Services
      • Transportation and Maps
  • Campus & Community
    • Get Involved
      • Athletics
      • Clubs & Organizations
      • Student Ambassadors
      • Student Government
      • Student Leadership Institute
      • Student Media and Publications
    • Community & School Partnerships
      • Continuing Education (Noncredit)
      • CTE Summer Academy
      • Dual Enrollment (K-12 and Adult Ed)
      • Foster Kinship Care Education
      • Kids College
      • Outreach & Educational Partnerships
      • Child Development Center (Pre-School)
      • Post a Job Opening
    • Arts & Cultural Events
      • Art Gallery Showing
      • Cultural Events
      • Dance Events
      • Music Events
      • Theater Events
    • RHC Foundation
      • A Taste of Rio
      • Faculty & Staff Giving
      • President’s Circle
      • RHC Foundation
      • Ways to Give
    • Campus Resources
      • Bookstore
      • Events Calendar
      • Fitness & Wellness Center
      • Grade Grievance Procedures
      • Graduation Ceremony
      • Library
      • Transportation and Maps
      • Title IX Harassment Resources
      • Virtual Campus Tour
      • Vendors, Merchants, and Bids
  • About RHC
    • Rio Hondo College
      • About RHC
      • Academic Affairs
      • Academic Senate
      • Accreditation
      • BoardDocs
      • Board of Trustees
      • Board Policies and Administrative Procedures
      • Curriculum
      • EADA Reports
      • Governance Manual
      • Outcomes
      • Phone Directory
      • Student Equity
      • Superintendent/President
      • Vision, Mission and Values
      • Virtual Campus Tour
    • Faculty & Staff
      • Behavioral Intervention Team
      • Faculty Handbook
      • Helping Students in Distress
      • IT Helpdesk
      • Print Shop
      • Rio Mail
      • SARS Anywhere
      • Sign Production
      • Staff Development
    • Offices
      • Academic Divisions
      • Admissions & Records
      • Finance & Business
      • Financial Aid
      • Government & Community Relations
      • Grant Development Services
      • Human Resources
      • Information Technology
      • Institutional Effectiveness
      • Library Services
      • Marketing & Communications
      • Student Affairs
    • Facilities & Safety
      • Building Program
      • Directions, Maps, & Transportation
      • Emergency Procedures
      • Emergency Preparedness
      • Facilities
      • Parking
      • Security
    • Marketing & Media
      • Marketing & Communications
      • Media Services
      • News
      • Publications
      • Zoom Backgrounds

Río Hondo College Increases Tesla START Program Enrollment Numbers Thanks to New Pathway Involvement

  • May 11, 2022
  • by: Rio Hondo College
tesla

WHITTIER – Río Hondo College is meeting the high demand for more electric vehicle technicians by joining Tesla’s Pathway to START Program – an intensive training course that prepares new high school graduates to enter the College’s Tesla’s START program.

Launched in 2021, the Pathway to START Program places recent high school graduates into an eight-week online program to work with Southern California Tesla service centers, during which they learn the basics of servicing electric vehicles.

The highest-performing students are then recruited into Tesla’s START program, where they gain hands-on experience and are hired directly by Tesla upon completion of the program. The current class, which has 13 students in total – four of whom are female, is the 10th cohort of the Tesla START program at the College.

“The Pathway Program was a really good chance for me to see how I like working on cars because I’ve never had this opportunity before,” Lysander Zepeda said. “After the first section of the program, I was a lot more excited. I think the START program is a really great opportunity because I’m making a lot of new connections, learning the basics and the more I learn, the most I realize that Tesla is the right place to work.”

Liliana Miguel Ojeda said learning virtually through the Pathway program was a great introduction to Tesla and it prepared her for the hands-on work expected at the START program at the Río Hondo College campus.

Professor of Alternative Fuels/Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles John Frala said the Pathway to START Program is providing a shorter learning curve to teach students about servicing Tesla vehicles. Frala also said this program will enable more students to be accepted into the Tesla START program, creating new job opportunities to countless individuals in the future.

To date, 125 students have graduated from Río Hondo College’s Tesla START program, gaining employment with the prominent automotive company.

According to Frala, the Tesla START program is a major employer of female technicians, who account for roughly nine percent of graduates from Río Hondo College’s program.

The current class of Tesla START students is expected to graduate on May 26, 2022.

“The new Tesla Pathway to START Program will produce many more students who are equipped to enter and succeed in the automotive job field and we are very proud to be working with Tesla to make this happen,” Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss said. “We celebrate every single one of our Tesla START graduates, knowing that they have a bright career ahead of them.”

  • female tesla student
  • male tesla student
  • tesla

MEDIA RELEASE

3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2022

CONTACT: Ruthie Retana
(562) 463-3145

193
SHARES
ShareTweet
  • Marketing & Communications Homepage
  • Services Offered
  • Rio In The News
    • College
    • Alumni
  • Press Releases / Media Advisories
  • Announcements
  • Publications
  • Photos for Media
  • Marketing Resources / Photo Release
  • Zoom Backgrounds
  • Marketing Request Form
  • Contact Us
About RHC

Rio Hondo College, serving the communities of El Monte, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier for over 50 years.

Navigation
  • Annual Report
  • BoardDocs
  • Campus Map
  • HEERF / CARES Act Grants
  • COVID-19 Information
  • Locations / Centers
  • Parking
Site Search
Social Media
  • Twitter icon
  • Facebook icon
  • Instagram icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • YouTube icon
  • TikTok icon
AccessRio login logo




Contact

Rio Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601

Phone: (562) 692-0921
Comments? Questions?
Contact Us

© 2013 - 2023 Rio Hondo Community College   |   Non-Discrimination Statement   |   Accessibility Statement
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Back to top arrow