CET - Key Persons

Pamela Deans has been at the helm of the Microenterprise Collaborative of Inland Southern California as the Executive Director since January 2022. Her extensive background boasts years of dedicated leadership in the Job Training and Workforce Development Field. She currently serves as a member of the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board's Economic Development Business Resource Committee (SB WDB EDBRC). Moreover, she takes the helm as the Chair of the Business and Community Leaders Outreach Committee for Thrive Inland SoCal, also known as the California CERF (Community Economic Resilience Fund) Initiative. Prior to her pivotal role at the Collaborative, she served as the Center Director for the Center for Employment Training (CET) in Colton, CA for over seven years. Her leadership consistently propelled the center to rank among the top-performing centers. CET, an esteemed Technical Training School for adults, was founded in 1967 in conjunction with UFW Leader Cesar Chavez to provide job training services to Farmworkers. During her tenure, she held full responsibility for the center's operations, orchestrating program development across human resources, curriculum design, program diversification, enrollment management, job placement, and, notably, ensuring students' overall success. Notably, Pamela's tenacity and expertise facilitated the securement of significant grants from esteemed organizations, including coveted Federal Funding, such as the Department of Labor grant for $1 million, which provided full scholarships for women through the WANTO (Women in Apprenticeships and Non-Traditional Occupations) program. Her achievements at CET include introducing innovative programs, such as the Apprenticeship Readiness program, developed in collaboration with the North American Building Trades Union (NABTU). She was also a fervent advocate for women's empowerment in the trades, exemplified by her initiatives like "Weld-Like-a-Girl" and "Green-is-the-NEW-Pink." Pamela's dedication to women's professional development has remained steadfast throughout her esteemed career, being a member of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). Further contributing to her impressive professional journey, she served as an elected secretary for SHRM (Society of Human Resources Management) in the Inland Empire and has consistently participated in various committees focused on enhancing the quality of life in the Inland Empire. Before her impactful journey in job development, Pamela's career embarked in the travel industry. She served as an Instructor for the International Air Academy for a remarkable 14 years, playing a crucial role in hundreds of individuals realizing their dreams of becoming flight attendants and working within the airline industry. Furthermore, she held leadership and training positions with esteemed organizations such as American Airlines and American Express Travel. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Pamela also owned and operated her own travel agency, amassing global travel experiences that have only deepened her appreciation for the Inland Empire, which she proudly calls her home.