2024 cohort
California's Next Workforce

A Central Valley high school’s career training program gives students a ‘head start’ on their futures

For nearly a decade, a Central Valley high school’s career training program has allowed incoming freshmen to pick a career […]

Viviana Delsid
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With futures uncertain, undocumented Latinos continue to push for college degrees with the help of mentors, nonprofits

This article has been updated to correctly identify the highest level of education Latinos in California have obtained, per Latino […]

Sarah Ochoa Rodriguez
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Gen Z Tackles Climate Change in California’s Workforce

When it comes to climate change affecting job security, no one is more concerned than Generation Z, who have grown […]

Zara Hai
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Providers, politicians, patients present perspectives on a healthcare industry integrating AI

Data access and transparency – how data is collected, stored and shared – are essential to innovation in the medical […]

Sophie Nguyen

JCal empowers California students to tell the stories of their communities by immersing them in the state’s news ecosystem through an all-inclusive, free summer program.

This year’s theme was California's Next Workforce.

More about JCal

AI is helping diagnose diseases, but California radiologists and lawmakers are cautious

Radiologists across California are recognizing the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technology could analyze large amounts of data and […]

Brina Sastyangkul

Navigating The Opportunities and Challenges of AI in Education

As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, more students are using it to perform better at school. But educators are still […]

Suriyah Jones

Intech: A life changing opportunity for low-income students

Danngely Lorenzana was a warehouse worker loading trucks for minimum wage and spending long hours driving a forklift. With only […]

Jiaying Hou

Climate-friendly agriculture bill to get watered down as California lawmakers rush to beat deadline

A plan to help California farms adopt climate-friendly practices with $3.6 billion in new funding won’t advance to the November […]

Raiden Dea

Industry journalists from California’s major news sites, public radio and broadcast stations directly mentored JCal reporters for a five day camp at CalMatters’ Sacramento newsroom.

Meet the People of JCal

SLO County Pushes Back Against LGBTQ+ Discrimination

SLO County is working on building a safe environment for the LGBTQ+.

Kayleigh Luna

Unveiling Bias: College Programs and the Workforce

College students with learning disabilities cannot access the necessary programs and accommodations. Why can they not ensure they graduate and […]

Ava DeJesus
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Changes in the Automotive industry

Is this high school auto program outpacing Fresno’s industry? This technician thinks so. Change is bound to happen. This is […]

Esteban Ledesma
Free Students Studying Inside the Library Stock Photo

The Importance of Enhancing Opportunities for English Learners in Oxnard 

School may be out for the summer, but educational opportunities tailored to the needs of Oxnard locals are still available. […]

Amaya Mosley, Lucy Ramirez

California Lawmaker and Ethics Professor Discuss A.I. Ethics in the New Workforce

With the rise of a new generation of workers alongside the development of Artificial Intelligence, the job prospects for young […]

Gabriel Worley

The Decline of the Humanities Is Not Willful, It’s Just Ignorance

Higher education has seen the fall of the English and History majors by a full third over the past decade […]

Zoe Truong

Friend or Foe? California schools & legislators battle with AI in classrooms

The future, a spectacle to all, is advancing rapidly with help of the spread of artificial intelligence, especially in the […]

Victoria Matz

How Can Students Prepare for Something They Do Not Know They Need to Be Prepared For?

After high school, a good chunk of the student body enters the workforce – but do these students know what […]

Madiha Haideri

AI in the Screenwriting Room: Enhancing creativity or erasing humanity? 

As AI is rapidly being used within the screenwriting rooms, one question still lingers: can AI ever replicate human emotion?  […]

Abby Pace

JCal is a free program that immerses California high school students into the state’s news ecosystem. It is a collaboration between the Asian American Journalists Association and CalMatters.