At LA Conservation Corps, we emphasize “Green Career Pathways” in order to offer opportunities to create direct pipelines to green jobs for Corpsmembers.  

As one example, in California there is an issue with replacing an aging workforce of forestry professionals. As a result, The Corps founded The Tree Academy this year using funding from the California Workforce Development Board to train a new crop of these urban forestry professionals.  In the first quarter of this year, two dozen Corpsmembers got extensive hands-on experience while doing fire fuel reduction and invasive plant species removal, as well as receiving training in operating chainsaws and chippers in a partnership with West Coast Arborists (WCA).  

Our Corps staff conducted classroom training in basic tree biology and photosynthesis, the environmental benefits of trees, the carbon cycle, root management challenges for urban sites, root-friendly design, and tree pruning methods.  This hands-on experience and classroom training will prepare Corpsmembers for the next phase with WCA — advanced training and specific work projects that will lead to employment opportunities with private landscapers or municipal agencies.  So far, 21 Corpsmembers have completed this training, and all are in the process of being placed with WCA.

We are delighted that at The Corps we continue to innovate and create new programs emphasizing Green Career Pathways that have long-lasting impact on our Corpsmembers. Come join us on June 1st at LA State Historic Park for our Annual Spring Luncheon to hear more about our Green Career Pathways and the ways in which we are training the next generation to work in jobs focusing on climate resiliency.