County operates occupational program

The Regional Occupational Program, better known as ROP, is managed by the Ventura County Office of Education. The program includes a variety of classes that teach vocational skills to high school juniors and seniors. Following is a list of classes offered in the East County region.

+Moorpark: Computer repair and maintenance, diversified occupations (for students who are already employed but don't get job credit), fashion retail merchandising, virtual enterprise, web design

+Simi Valley: Computer repair and maintenance, graphic design, machine tool technology, photo communications, stagecraft technology, video productions, virtual enterprise, web design

+Oak Park: Cabinetmaking, sports medicine

+Camarillo (Camarillo High School): Environmental horticultural science

+Conejo Unified School District: Auto service, cabinet making, culinary arts, diversified occupations, fashion retail merchandising, machine tool technology, video productions

The program also has buses that transport students to the ROP center at Camarillo Airport, where 19 classes are offered, ranging from dental assisting, welding, floral design, nursing assistant and auto service.

High schools have been asking for additional programs to serve their students. Among the requests are classes on film studies, banking, criminal justice and culinary arts.

The demand for classes is high and some even have waiting lists, according to Peggy Velarde, director of career and technical education and principal for the ROP. In order to offer more classes on high school campuses, additional funding is necessary, she said.