On October 24, Work Shift News featured FoundationCCC’s transformative role in workforce development, focusing on the impact of a $21.5 million U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge grant. 

Through this grant, FoundationCCC launched the California Resilient Careers in Forestry program, which addresses California’s critical workforce needs in the forestry and fire safety sector, particularly by creating pathways for historically underrepresented communities. 

“These positions have historically been filled primarily by white males. In addition to tribal members and getting more of those folks involved in the training and placed into these good jobs, our focus has also been on increasing the number of women in these occupations, the Latinx/Hispanic population, veterans, and folks from low socioeconomic backgrounds. — Courtney Cagle, Manager, Resilient Careers in Forestry, FoundationCCC

The article showcases how community colleges are emerging as key players in driving economic mobility. Our partners — Butte College, Feather River Community College District, Lake Tahoe Community College, Reedley College, Shasta College, California State University, Chico, UCANR California Conservation Corps, CalFire and the Sierra Business Council  — are integral to expanding access to forestry careers. By working to recruit, support, and train local communities in partnership with community colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, organizations with strong tribal partnerships, and other community-based organizations, the project will expand the industry’s talent pool while simultaneously diversifying the field. 

This work is critical to help Californians access good jobs, especially as we help our state respond to the urgent needs of climate change and support economic growth in regions greatly impacted by natural disasters.

To read the full article, please visit the Work Shift News page here.

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