Employment
Maintenance technician, full-time, varied 12-hour shifts
Current Household Income
$88,250
Vern is a single father with sole custody of his two school-aged children in Monterey. He works long hours as a maintenance technician at a food processing plant, but stagnant wages and unpredictable shifts make it difficult to cover the high cost of living and housing in the region. Vern is eager to pursue an associate degree in industrial technology with a specialization in automation, hoping that this degree could open doors to higher-paying supervisory roles in local agriculture and manufacturing. However, his path is complicated by his ever-changing work schedule and the challenge of arranging affordable childcare, particularly during evenings when many courses are offered.
Region
Central Coast
Minimum Wage
$16.50 per hour
Housing Cost
$1,193,825 average home price
$2,374 to rent a one-bedroom apartment
Cost of Living
51.9% higher than the national average
1.3% higher than the average California city
What does Vern have the right to expect from our learning systems and policies?