Student Spotlight: Shazia Bushra

Shazia Bushra is ready to restart her career as an early childhood education teacher, a journey that started with just one class. Bushra took a preschool teaching course at the Torrance Adult School last fall and was soon encouraged by her instructor to enroll in El Camino College to pursue her career goals. An elementary school teacher in her hometown in Pakistan, Bushra left the profession to raise her children. She is now working to earn assistant teacher and associate teacher permits.

Bushra is participating in the Child Development Pathway program, where she co-enrolled in classes at El Camino College and the Torrance Adult School, through the South Bay Adult Education Consortium. In this partnership, ECC's Child Development program prepares students to earn a child care state license after taking two child development classes. El Camino College provides the content courses, and Torrance Adult School offers ESL classes and transitional support, which can include ESL for child development classes, access to career and education counselors, work readiness courses, and more.

ECC is a good fit for Bushra, who is able to register for classes that suit her schedule and can progress through the program at her own pace.

"I found a lot of help and guidance both from my counselor, as well as my teachers, who are helping me achieve my goal of becoming a preschool teacher," she said. "The class environment is great and student participation of sharing childhood experiences makes it interesting."