Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Education at Cabrillo College

Cabrillo Community College, on the Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz county, is one of the most highly regarded community colleges in the state for its success in the area of transfer and career education.  It currently serves over 13,000 students.  Classes are conveniently offered at several locations, including the main campus in Aptos; the Watsonville Center; and at several locations in downtown Santa Cruz.  Cabrillo College transfers many of its students to three nearby universities – the University of California at Santa Cruz, San Jose State University, in the heart of Silicon Valley, and California State University at Monterey Bay.  The college offers hundreds of courses leading to four-year degrees in many majors.  The majority of all courses in the Cabrillo curriculum transfer to the University of California or the California State University systems.  Cabrillo’s career education is closely connected to the nearby Silicon Valley business environment, as well as that of the greater San Francisco Bay Area.  Cabrillo offers a variety of programs that lead to Skills Certificates, Certificates of Proficiency and A.S. Degrees.  In addition, Cabrillo College offers basic skills courses and courses for business, professional and personal development.  A variety of not-for-credit classes are available through the Community Education Department.

Cabrillo’s Computer Networking and System Administration program prepares students to work in the Information Technology (IT) industry in general, and more specifically in computer networking and system administration.   Courses include underlying networking concepts and theory, administering network infrastructure including the Cisco Systems CCNA/CCNP courses, system and network administration using Unix/Linux and Microsoft operating systems, network security, network management, and emerging technologies.   Various certificate and degree options are available, including courses which transfer to four-year universities for those students pursuing a bachelor degree.  For more information, please come by room 2500 on the Aptos Campus, call (831) 477-3533 or email.

Cabrillo’s Computer Science (CS) Program addresses much more than programming.  Programming is merely the process of translating the procedures we want a computer to execute into instructions it can follow. The more crucial aspect of computer science is determining what we want the computer to do in the first place.  Thus, while the knowledge of a language like C++ or Java is important, programming is only one of the tools that allow you to achieve great things with computers.  Computer Science has many sub-fields including: algorithms and data structures, computer graphics, programming language theory, software engineering, computer architecture, databases, artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction.  With our courses, you can get the foundation you need to excel in these areas when you transfer to a four-year college or university.  Or if you are more interested in a two-year degree or certificate, we offer those as well. Some of the fields you can explore with us are:  Computer Engineering , Game Programming, Software Engineering and Web Programming.  For more information, come by building 2552, call (831) 479-6545 or email

Cabrillo’s  Computer Support Specialist (CSS) program prepares students for a career in the field of computer technical support.  Courses provide hands-on experience with computer hardware and software, basic networking and help desk concepts.  Communication skills, which are critical to success in this field, are emphasized.  The CSS program prepares students for CompTIA certification exams like the A+, Network + and Security +.   CompTIA is the world’s largest developer of vendor-neutral IT certification exams.  Many employers value CompTIA certifications.  Seventy-four percent of IT managers say a CompTIA certification is an important factor in considering an employee for a promotion.  For more information, please come by building 2552, call (831) 477-5672 or email.

Cabrillo’s  Digital Media Department  programs provide instruction in the creation, preparation, and production of media for publication in print and on screen. Classroom instruction and lab assignments give students practical experience in various graphic design, digital publishing, interactive multimedia, motion media, and web media software applications and techniques.  Courses teach concepts, principles, and processes for digital media project design and development.  A.S. Degrees and Certificates of Achievement are offered in the Digital Publishing and Web Media programs.  A diverse selection of approved electives allows students to acquire specialized skills in particular areas of interest, such as:  photography, CAD, graphic design, illustration, virtual reality, 3D animation, architectural modeling, color theory, engineering graphics, printing techniques, advertising, journalism, music, web design, and web publishing.  For more information, please call (831) 477-3700 or email.

Cabrillo’s  Computer Applications/Business Technology (CABT) department courses, degrees and certificates are designed to prepare students for successful employment in a wide range of business, office, technology and computer-related jobs.  An important focus of the program is to develop skills for applying computer technology to the business and professional workplace.  CABT computer applications courses are based on the objectives required for MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) certification.   For more information, please come by room 510A, call (831) 477-5262 or email.