Victor Valley College’s Fast-Track Training Delivers Job-Ready Talent
Sponsored by: Victor Valley College
From cosmetology to forklift training to courtroom reporting, Victor Valley College (VVC) provides students with the opportunity for short-term vocational training to set them up for career success. Located in California’s High Desert region in Victorville, the community college offers a variety of traditional degree and certificate programs. But it also offers state-of-the-art, noncredit courses as a low- to no-cost alternative for career advancement.
Prepped for Growth
Richard Radcliffe, Ph.D., director of instruction for noncredit programs at VVC, has been a key leader in the college’s noncredit programs for years. He was the first faculty member of the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program and most recently served as its interim director. CDL has grown, along with the noncredit program itself, and the college now offers 12 noncredit programs, with many more to come in the future. Examples of VVC’s expanding noncredit programs include manufacturing and logistics, emergency telecommunications, cosmetology and CDL passenger endorsement (Class B). Programs currently in development include court reporting, notary services, phlebotomy, pharmacy technician, environmental technologies and the rapidly evolving field of e-sports, which is slated to launch at the campus in the winter of 2026.
“Traditional classes come with the goal of an associate’s degree or technical certificate of some kind,” Radcliffe says. “All noncredit courses are built with a certificate of completion as the final goal for students. It takes a lot of the overhead cost out of the educational experience and still gives students the training they need for entry-level positions or advancement in their careers.”
Several VVC noncredit courses are offered at zero cost to students, while some carry minimal expenses for required materials. For instance, cosmetology students must purchase a training kit. However, whenever possible under California law, VVC covers the costs, such as providing textbooks, ensuring students have access to valuable resources without added financial burden.
“Noncredit students still have to register at VVC, but it’s an abbreviated registration that doesn’t require as much as full-time students,” Radcliffe says.
Low Cost, High Demand
VVC’s noncredit courses have grown significantly in popularity over the last several years, and most of the time, programs fill up extremely quickly.
“We’ve implemented an esthetician program and we’ll be opening a barbering program as well,” Radcliffe says. “Our cosmetology program fills up very fast. It’s a good problem to have when you’re running at capacity because seats are maxed out.”
The demand is clear, and VVC’s programs don’t just fill seats – they open doors, breaking down barriers of time and cost so every student has a real chance to step into a career and change their future.
“There are limited opportunities for vocational training in the High Desert and people are looking for the training that helps them get ahead in the industry,” Radcliffe says. “Our noncredit programs are short term. We’re training people for living-wage positions and giving them a springboard from unemployment to employment.”
VVC launched its noncredit pharmacy tech program in summer 2025 and 30 students registered.
For more information on Victor Valley College’s noncredit courses and how to register, visit vvc.edu/noncredit-program.
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