(ON-CAMPUS - in-person position)
Orange Coast College (OCC) is seeking equity-minded individuals for a classified employee role as a
Counseling Assistant under the Student Services Wing, as part of the Counseling Division.
THE COLLEGE - About Orange Coast College
Orange Coast College's 164-acre campus is located in Costa Mesa, just minutes from Southern California's beautiful beaches, with its main campus in Costa Mesa and a campus in Newport Beach (Waterfront Campus). Orange Coast College (OCC) was founded in 1947 with the mission to serve the educational needs of a diverse local and global community. The College empowers students to achieve their goals by providing high-quality, culturally responsive, and innovative programs and services through pathways leading to degrees, transfers, certificates, foundational skills, workforce development, and lifelong learning. The College promotes student development, learning, and equitable outcomes by fostering a respectful, inclusive, caring, and participatory campus climate of student engagement and academic inquiry. Ideal candidates for this position will share OCC’s dedication to transforming lives through education, with a strong commitment to serving a diverse and vibrant student population. We currently enroll 17,859 students, the majority of whom are from racially minoritized populations: 38% of OCC's students are Latinx, 2% are African-American, 23% are Asian, less than 1% are Native American, 29% are White, and 6% are multiracial. As a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an eligibility designation as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), Orange Coast College reflects the dynamic diversity in the region.
Orange Coast College (OCC) engages in a wide range of collaborative efforts aimed at fostering a culture of educational excellence and inclusivity. With a commitment to providing high-quality academic programs and student-centered support services, OCC creates an environment where all students can thrive. As a diverse and globally-minded institution, the college takes pride in initiatives that empower student communities by promoting cultural synergy across departments, including the Office of Student Equity, the Global Engagement Center, and the Multicultural Center.
OCC is a recognized leader in preparing students for transfer to four-year institutions and holds the prestigious designations of both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). The college also boasts state-of-the-art facilities and is the first community college in Southern California to offer on-campus residential housing with over 300 apartment units, further enhancing the student experience.
Orange Coast College Employee-Student Demographic Information
Direct Link: Employee / Student Profile Comparison Dashboard
THE DEPARTMENT: About OCC's Counseling Division
Counseling services at Orange Coast College are in place to help students identify and clarify personal, career, and educational goals. The intent is to help students choose options that will improve the quality of their lives. The Counseling Division serves all students, whether bound for transfer or in pursuit of career and technical programs. Counselors work to encourage students to explore interests and goals across the curriculum. This is done holistically within the context of each student’s background, competencies, motivation, family situation, and outside obligations. Counseling intersects and collaborates with instructional disciplines, student services, four-year colleges, universities, and local high schools to provide targeted interventions to students from recruitment and onboarding through graduation and educational goal completion. The Counseling Department shares Orange Coast College's commitment to equitable outcomes, inclusive practices, and racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity. Ideal candidates for this position share Orange Coast College's devotion to educating and improving the lives of our representative students, employees, and community populations.
ABOUT THE DISTRICT
The Coast Community College District is a multi-college district that includes
Coastline Community College,
Golden West College, and
Orange Coast College. The three colleges offer programs in transfer, general education, occupational/technical education, community services, and student support services. Coastline, Golden West, and Orange Coast colleges enroll more than 60,000 students each year in more than 300 degree and certificate programs. Since its founding in 1947, the Coast Community College District has enjoyed a reputation as one of the leading community college districts in the United States. The Coast Community College District values diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism by creating a culture of inclusive excellence that uplifts employees and students through an environment that is equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY & IMPACT
The Coast Community College District (Orange Coast College, Golden West College, and Coastline) continues to strengthen our efforts around diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism. Orange Coast College is focused on creating a culture of inclusive excellence by uplifting employees and students through an environment that is equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible. We have a strong focus and importance on building an inclusive culture and atmosphere of belonging. We will be actively listening, assessing, and evaluating for this throughout each stage of the application, recruitment, and interview process.
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Orange Coast College - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Page
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Orange Coast College - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility Plan
Ideal candidates for this position share OCC's devotion to educating and improving the lives of our representative students, employees, and community populations. We currently enroll 18,121 students, the majority of whom are from racially minoritized populations: 39% of OCC's students are Latinx, 2% are African-American, 23% are Asian, less than 1% are Native American, 28% are White, and 6% are multiracial.
Summary
Provides clerical and technical support to students, faculty, and counselors in the delivery of counseling, career planning, and college information services. Interacts with and assists students by directing them to the resources they need to engage as a student. Assists with outreach by participating in orientations, presentations, and events.
Distinguishing Career Features
The Counseling Assistant is contained in the career path for student counseling, advising, and testing services. The Counseling Assistant serves as intake and the first level of conveying information, introducing occupations and careers fulfilled by the College, and assisting students to navigate through the enrollment and counseling process. Advancement potential exists to Counseling Technician with a minimum of two years in a capacity equivalent to Counseling Assistant and a demonstrated ability to offer higher-level advising of students with their career exploration, interpret aptitude and placement tests, and monitor student records for acceptable academic progress.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Specific duties may vary among departments, divisions, and jobs. Incumbents typically perform a substantial portion or all of the following types of duties, as assigned:
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Identifies, assembles, prepares, and distributes information relating to availablecommunity college programs, alternatives, careers, and educational planning, transferprograms, and academic and student support services.
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Assists counselors in providing supportive services by performing pre-counseling and follow-up activities relating to individual student cases, campus-wide programs, and counseling activities. Serves as a student advocate to navigate matriculation.
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Participates in conducting student tours and orientation sessions involving the oral andwritten distribution of pertinent information to new and transferring students.
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Provides advisement assistance for students during registration and enrollment periods, recommending appropriate classes and planning schedules for counselor approval.
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Assists students in navigating career assessment and interest instruments and assists with career research.
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Maintains and updates counseling records pertaining to students’ academic progress, course and major choices, career interests, and problem areas.
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Refers students to available and pertinent college or community programs or services thatenhance their ability to maintain an active status.
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Provide support to students needing assistance in completing grant and scholarship applications, admissions forms, and related materials.
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Maintains an up-to date inventory of promotional, occupation-related, student services, and co-curricular program materials.
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Serves as a first point-of-contact for calls and walk-in visitors. Responds to inquiries for general information, encourages current and prospective students to visit, and refers callers to other resources that can provide further assistance.
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Participates in, and may organize and facilitate special activities, presentations, and outreach activities.
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Composes routine correspondence and compiles student and other data to support research and reports.
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Schedules and follows up on appointments arranged for students with counselors.
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Responsible for providing functional oversight and work direction to students and/or hourly support staff, as assigned, including such activities as the assignment of tasks and duties, distribution of work, training, scheduling, and checking on work performed in collaboration.
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Performs other related duties as assigned that support the objective of the position.
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Required to abide by all District policies and procedures, including Board Policy 3050 – Code of Professional Ethics.
(ON-CAMPUS - In-person position) This is a permanent, general-funded, full-time (40 hours per week) 12-month-per-year classified position. The normal hours of work will be Monday and Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm, with the flexibility to occasionally work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet the department's needs. The effective date of employment will be arranged with the supervisor.
The District provides medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and eligible dependents, and life insurance for the employee.
(Salary Schedule: EE-113 + 3% fluctuating shift differential)
Please note that job offers are conditional and are contingent upon the successful completion of a satisfactory comprehensive background check (including Livescan fingerprinting), satisfactory references, and approval or ratification by the District's Board of Trustees or the Chancellor.
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Regular attendance is considered an essential job function; the inability to meet attendance requirements may preclude the employee from retaining employment.
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The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in Coast Community College District policies, procedures, and Title IX. (Reference: BP/AP 5910)
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The Coast Community College District celebrates all forms of diversity and is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Individuals interested in advancing the District's strategic diversity goals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Pay Philosophy:
Through policies, practices, and other benefit programs, Coast Community College District delivers a fair and equitable total compensation program that promotes equal employment opportunity, inclusion, and workforce vitality. In general, it is the policy of the District to place new employees at the first step of the salary grade. All movement on the salary schedule will occur on July 1 of each year for all classified employees.
The SELECTED CANDIDATE is required to complete the following before employment:
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Provide a Certificate of Tuberculosis Exam for initial appointment (Note: The certificate must be renewed every 4 years as a condition of continuing employment).
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Have fingerprints taken by a Live Scan computer at the candidate’s expense. (Clearance must be received before the first day of employment)
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Present original documents for proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
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Participate in a new hire onboarding appointment with an Employment Services Representative.
Application Requirements:
A complete application includes:
*Documents not requested in the job announcement will not be considered*
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A complete Coast Community College District Online Employment Application.
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Responses to Supplemental Questions (please provide clear and detailed responses, as they will be carefully evaluated to determine the most qualified candidate(s) to be invited for an interview; please do not paste your resume, put "see resume" or "N/A", or leave blank).
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A Cover Letter highlighting your experiences relevant to this position and addressing the minimum and essential qualifications, including your evidence of demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, geographic, gender, gender identity, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. (PDF recommended).
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A Current Resume of professional experience and educational background. (PDF recommended).
Apply online at
The deadline to apply is June 5, 2026.
Reasonable Accommodations
Individuals who need reasonable accommodations in accordance with ADA should notify the Human Resources Office for assistance or email
[email protected].