You wouldn’t think a career politician like 55th Assembly District hopeful Warren Furutani would see eye-to-eye with a man like custom chopper chief Jesse James.

But James (whom–full disclosure–I freelanced for earlier this year)–and Furutani, a Los Angeles Community College trustee, agree on at least one issue: the importance of vocational education.

“I really want to focus on technical education, job training and workforce developmment,” Furutani told me recently in a telephone interview. (This assumes he’s elected Dec. 11–or in a run-off in February.)

“Community college is one of the areas where we do a lot of certification and training, especially for nurses,” said Furutani, who lost to Laura Richardson in  last year’s 55th Assembly race. “I really want to focus on that and bring some new ideas to bear.”

James, who has a tattoo on his palm reading “Pay Up Sucker” and a signature line of welders, told me in 2003 that his mad welding skills could save him 10 or 20 years from now, if this West Coast Choppers thing ever backfires.

“I could go work for Boeing and make $25 an hour,” James said then. “That’s why kids should have trade skills–have something that you could always go and do.”

He’s right: you could indeed become a welder–or a nurse.

Tags: 55th Assembly District, Boeing, California, ESAB Welding & Cutting, Jesse James, laura richardson, Long Beach, Los Angeles Community College, Southern California, The District Weekly, Warren Furutani, West Coast Choppers