UAA FAQ
+) CERTIFICATE: Will I receive a CERTIFICATE or COLLEGE CREDIT for the UA Academy?
The students will receive a certificate showing that they have completed the program. Since the students will not be matriculated through the college’s official registration system, but instead registered via the community education platform, they will not be assigned a campus-wide ID or student number, receive college credit or a transcript.
One thing to remember, companies are hiring CNC operators based on their technical skill sets. When going in for interviews, you will have samples of your work from the program that will show your capabilities.
+) HOUSING?
If you live far away -- making it difficult to commute every morning, you might look for housing nearby. Many 2025 cohort students stayed at Larkspur Landing in Sunnyvale (about 8 miles away), and took the bus, or carpooled to class each morning. Contact information (from last year):
Wendy Lopez, General Manager
Email: wlopez@larkpsurhotels.com
Information from the 2025 summer program:
+) LUNCH: Will there be LUNCH available during the program?
The program does not provide lunch or snacks. However, the campus dining hall and cafeteria should be open during the summer (Monday through Thursday, closed on Fridays), however sometimes service hours are limited. We recommend the students plan on bringing in lunch the first week until they can determine the cafeteria's schedule. There are also a few restaurants (Ike's sandwiches, pizza places, etc.) at the corner of Stevens Creek & Stelling. Students will have 1 hour for lunch.
+) DRESS CODE: Is there any kind of expected attire? Are there special types of shoes or pants that we'll need to wear when training?
No special shoes or pants are required, but there are dress codes for safety:
+) ADDITIONAL TRAINING: Is it a good idea to take additional classes after the program?
+) RECREATIONAL FACILITIES: Will I be able to use the FACILITIES (gym and pool) at De Anza?
Unfortunately, these facilities are only available to students participating in college sports or enrolled in a summer class that meets in those areas; they are otherwise closed to all other students and visitors.
The students will receive a certificate showing that they have completed the program. Since the students will not be matriculated through the college’s official registration system, but instead registered via the community education platform, they will not be assigned a campus-wide ID or student number, receive college credit or a transcript.
One thing to remember, companies are hiring CNC operators based on their technical skill sets. When going in for interviews, you will have samples of your work from the program that will show your capabilities.
+) HOUSING?
If you live far away -- making it difficult to commute every morning, you might look for housing nearby. Many 2025 cohort students stayed at Larkspur Landing in Sunnyvale (about 8 miles away), and took the bus, or carpooled to class each morning. Contact information (from last year):
Wendy Lopez, General Manager
Email: wlopez@larkpsurhotels.com
Information from the 2025 summer program:
- Executive King Suite at $129 per night ($4k/month, $2k/month/student double occupancy). These suites provide significantly more space than our Queen Studios, including a full kitchen, larger living area, and more privacy—perfect for extended stays and roommate arrangements.
- Queen Studio at $99 is a great option for shorter or solo stays—and a few parents have already booked this suite type—we strongly recommend the Executive Suite for two students sharing. It’s designed for long stays and will offer the space and comfort they’ll appreciate day to day. The 2 students can split the $129 per night rate!
+) LUNCH: Will there be LUNCH available during the program?
The program does not provide lunch or snacks. However, the campus dining hall and cafeteria should be open during the summer (Monday through Thursday, closed on Fridays), however sometimes service hours are limited. We recommend the students plan on bringing in lunch the first week until they can determine the cafeteria's schedule. There are also a few restaurants (Ike's sandwiches, pizza places, etc.) at the corner of Stevens Creek & Stelling. Students will have 1 hour for lunch.
+) DRESS CODE: Is there any kind of expected attire? Are there special types of shoes or pants that we'll need to wear when training?
No special shoes or pants are required, but there are dress codes for safety:
- Long pants that go down to your shoes
- Closed toed shoes (no sandals, flip flops, Crocs, etc.)
- No loose fitting clothing or other loose fabrics that may get caught on the equipment. No dangling hoods, drawstrings, scarves, or neckties. Long sleeves need to be rolled up to the elbows
- Wear clothing that covers skin to avoid burns from any hot metal chips. Shirts must cover the stomach and lower back as well as the upper arms.
- Remove all accessories, jewelry, and other items that are dangling off your body. This includes rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, headphones, earbuds, and more.
- Long hair should be tied back.
+) ADDITIONAL TRAINING: Is it a good idea to take additional classes after the program?
- First thing, the program is designed to get you a job upon completion, and we will help you with job placement.
- However, there is MUCH more you can learn about machining beyond these 12 weeks. So we encourage you to continue your training to move up in your career. This could be OJT (on-the-job training) or taking classes at your local community college. Most of the colleges offer evening classes, so you could work and take classes at the same time, or you might be able to talk with your employer about allowing you time to take classes during the day.
+) RECREATIONAL FACILITIES: Will I be able to use the FACILITIES (gym and pool) at De Anza?
Unfortunately, these facilities are only available to students participating in college sports or enrolled in a summer class that meets in those areas; they are otherwise closed to all other students and visitors.
ACT WORKKEYS Process
To ensure you're ready for the program, all students will be required to take three ACT Workkeys assessments. They each take 55 minutes. All assessments are scored on a 1-7 scale.
- Applied Math (score of 4+ required)
- Graphic Literacy (3+)
- Workplace Documents (4+)
1) Shortly after you've been accepted to the program, you will receive an email from ACT.org with a username and password.
2) Login to the ACT site https://rsp.act.org (choose Laney College realm) to update your info and make sure the information works.
3) You have the option of taking the assessments 2 ways:
- At home using a Remote Proctoring service (ProctorU). You will receive a username and password from ProctorU. You can schedule the tests at your convenience (but do so as soon as possible).
- In person. We will set up a 4 hour time slot at a location for students to come take the test.
- Applied Math (score of 4+ required)
- Graphic Literacy (3+)
- Workplace Documents (4+)
1) Shortly after you've been accepted to the program, you will receive an email from ACT.org with a username and password.
2) Login to the ACT site https://rsp.act.org (choose Laney College realm) to update your info and make sure the information works.
3) You have the option of taking the assessments 2 ways:
- At home using a Remote Proctoring service (ProctorU). You will receive a username and password from ProctorU. You can schedule the tests at your convenience (but do so as soon as possible).
- In person. We will set up a 4 hour time slot at a location for students to come take the test.
