Hollywood CPR partners with the Los Angeles Community College District to deliver training that leads directly into our Union Pathways Program.

Step 1: Students first enroll at a partner college and complete a certificate program, with classes designed by Hollywood CPR. This college-issued certificate is the first step toward completing our program. Once students are officially enrolled at a partnering college, they must also complete Hollywood CPR’s registration forms.

Step 2: Students who earn a B or higher in their core craft class and are endorsed by their instructors for their strong attendance and skillset become eligible to join Hollywood CPR’s Traineeship Roster—a second phase of training led directly by Hollywood CPR.

As part of the traineeship, top students may be selected to interview with major productions for real-world, union-track job opportunities.

To earn the Hollywood CPR Certificate, trainees must:

• Complete college pre-req certificate and log 640 hours of hands-on training

• Build a digital portfolio featuring 10 projects, supervisor evaluations, a personal statement, and project log outlining all the projects worked on for a minimum of 640 hours

• Receive a personalized recommendation from a union-professional

Step 1: Choose Your Pathway

Step 2: Join our Interest List

Step 3: We will reach out as soon as opportunities to start training arise

Class start dates vary by college and semester. Most students begin in:

• September (Fall Session A)

• February (Spring Session A)

• June (Summer Session A)

Join the Interest List to receive an update on when our next training cohort starts.

Hollywood CPR partners with LACCD, so tuition is charged at the California community college rate of $46 per unit (for California residents). Most attend for free with financial aid (FASFA). College certificates range between 18 - 25 units depending on the pathway.

Free Tuition: The LA College Promise Program provides two years of free tuition for first-time students who are California residents—no matter your income or age. Benefits include priority registration, transit passes, a Chromebook, and semester success stipends.

• To qualify, simply enroll full-time at a LACCD college, complete your onboarding requirements (like financial aid, orientation, and counseling), and enroll.

Step 1: College Certificate (~ 1 year)

• Takes just under 1 year of full-time enrollment at a partner community college

• Some students take longer depending on their schedule, their ability to secure production roles in their craft, and course availability.

Step 2: Hollywood CPR Certificate (~ 3 months to a year)

Because students can start logging hours while completing their college certificate, they’re not waiting until after graduation to begin the 640-hour requirement. This overlap can significantly shorten the time it takes to finish.

As part of the College Certificate, students take a series of Cooperative Education courses, where they must complete at least 150 hours of hands-on production work. These hours:

• Count toward the 640-hour requirement for the Hollywood CPR Certificate

• Build the baseline skills and set experience needed to qualify for the Hollywood CPR Traineeship Roster

Once students complete the College Certificate with a B or higher and receive approval from their Union Industry Professional, they gain access to HCPR’s Traineeship Roster.

Important to know:

• Being on the roster does not guarantee a major studio traineeship.

• The goal is to complete your hours through a traineeship, but students are expected to continue seeking projects and logging hours independently while waiting.

• How fast you finish depends on the connections you build and the opportunities you take.

• Students should not depend on a traineeship to complete their hours.

Bottom line: Your Cooperative Education courses jump-start your hours, but your initiative determines how quickly you reach 640 and complete the Hollywood CPR Certificate requirement.

All classes are held in person in Los Angeles, California, as Hollywood CPR is a hands-on training program built to prepare students for real-world work on professional sets.

• Interested students should have the capacity to commute to Downtown LA and/or Burbank multiple times per week during regular work hours.

While the majority of coursework is on-site multiple times per week, some classes include a limited online component. Students should be prepared with:

• Basic computer and writing skills to complete online assignments and professional paperwork

• Access to a computer and internet connection

• The ability to create a digital portfolio as part of the Hollywood CPR Certificate requirements

Important: Students should be prepared for an on-site commitment of up to 6 hours per day, 2–3 days per week, with some classes beginning as early as 7:00 a.m.

No. Hollywood CPR is the only IATSE-recognized training program of its kind.

Our program was designed specifically for students without traditional film degrees, and we do not accept transfer credits from other colleges or film programs unless they are with one of our contracted LACCD college partners.

While anyone is welcome to enroll and participate in our training, please note that a valid U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) is required to qualify for the job placements with our studio partners, and ultimately to get placed on the union roster, if that’s your goal.

These placements are a key part of what helps our students transition into long-term union careers in the industry. That said, it's ultimately up to you to decide if participating in the training without access to job or union placements would still be worthwhile for your goals.

Hollywood CPR classes and productions take place at multiple locations across Los Angeles, often with early call times or late wrap times when public transit is limited. To succeed in the program, students must be able to:

• Arrive on time to classes, set builds, and productions (sometimes as early as 3:00 a.m.)

• Transport required tools and materials for their craft

• Travel between production sites and networking events as needed

Reliable transportation is essential to meet the professional standards of punctuality and preparedness expected in the entertainment industry. There are no exceptions if you want to be successful in the pathways we train in.

Attendance and punctuality are evaluated by your Industry Professional (IP) and are key factors in whether you advance in the program. While your college certificate may only require a passing grade, the film, television, and live events industries hold a much higher standard:

• Productions expect you to arrive at least 30 minutes early to set and be ready to work every day — no exceptions. Students should treat attending classes the same way.

• If you’re late or absent, the entire crew feels the impact.

• Consistency and reliability are just as important as technical skill in building a lasting career.

Put simply: in this industry, showing up early is non-negotiable. Hollywood CPR weighs attendance and punctuality heavily because they mirror the real expectations you’ll face on professional sets. If you want to succeed long term, reliability is the foundation.

We understand that life happens. However, if you know you’ll need to miss more than two classes in a session, you are encouraged to re-take the course in order to demonstrate commitment and be taken seriously for advancement in the program.

This is one of the many factors that has made our program the gold standard recognized by major studios and IATSE.

Students can technically earn as many college-issued certificates as they want by enrolling in multiple programs over time.

However, to qualify for the Hollywood CPR Certificate and Traineeship Roster, you must choose one pathway and complete it from start to finish.

The only exception is for students who pivot into the Stagehand pathway after completing the Grip or Set Lighting courses, since those skills directly align with stagehand work.