Courses for a Cause

  • BY Cal State East Bay
  • May 21, 2020

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cal State East Bay Continuing Education will offer a selection of free online courses this summer through , an initiative to support community members and provide professional development training and education for those looking to explore new career opportunities or new skillsets at this time.

“We are all in this together,” said Brian Cook, associate vice president of University Extension at Cal State East Bay. “With so many in our region struggling to work, find work and provide for their families, we feel it is imperative to be a resource for those sheltering in place.”

With Courses for Causes, participants can enroll in introductory courses within select certificate programs to explore a new subject and take the first step toward earning a professional certificate if they decide it’s right for them. Introductory courses offered include courses in human resources management, nonprofit management, paralegal studies, chemical dependency studies and construction management, with the first classes set to start in July.

“The certificate courses we offer can help someone match the skills they already have with specialized training so they can get a new job or a promotion,” said Kate White, director of Continuing Education at CSUEB. “For example, there may be someone who worked in the service or hospitality industry who can transfer their soft skills into a career in human resource management. By taking the free course a person can learn some marketable skills and test out whether or not our full program is a good fit.”

Cal State East Bay’s Courses for Causes is part of a larger COVID-19 Courses for Causes Campaign initiative developed by California State University's Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) program. The campaign is spread across the CSU network, which includes 23 campuses, and its goal is to provide select free courses in support of first responders, health care workers and all interested community members. 

For more information, or to enroll in a free course, visit CSUEB’s  website.