California Chief Service Officer, Marin County Fire Officials Emphasize Investing in Youth Workforce

Courtesy of Marin County

On August 23, California Service Chief Josh Fryday and Marin County officials highlighted a $2.7 million investment to recruit young leaders for the #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps program in Marin County.

Innovative new partnership provides #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps funding for Marin County Fire Foundry to recruit, train and hire local youth for the Fire Innovation, Recruitment & Education (FIRE) Foundry program. The FIRE Foundry program is a collaboration between Marin fire agencies, the North Bay Conservation Corps, the Marin Fire Prevention Authority, the Marin County Office of Equity, the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University and the College of Marin.

“The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps is a win for our youth, Marin County and the state of California,” said California Service Chief Josh Fryday. “This impressive group of young people is also joining a larger team of tens of thousands of California service members participating in California Volunteer programs.”

The objective of the FIRE Foundry program is to use the emerging technology of fire science to provide job training and skills development to underserved, underrepresented and underfunded local communities. The program provides innovative, project-based learning opportunities for youth to earn skills-based certifications and empower them as they explore paths to becoming a full-time firefighter or another career.

Marin’s FIRE Foundry program launched in October 2021, with job training running through January 2022. The current cohort will run through the end of the year. Marin County Fire is using an ‘earn and learn’ approach as recruits earn a salary and are supported with services and mentoring to ensure retention.

If firefighting becomes the goal, opportunities will open up for the group’s graduates—even locally. Mark Brown, Chief Executive Officer for the Marin Fire Protection Agency, said he is eager to put the group’s participants to work after the program ends.

“This is already making a huge impact as we encourage and inspire these young people to pursue firefighting,” said Marin County Fire Chief Jason Weber. “We are getting clear indications that many of them will adopt this as a career path and we are excited about that. The program is helping us provide a workplace and culture that emphasizes equality and inclusion.”

The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps is a partnership between the State of California and local government to help underserved youth find employment. Through the program, young people in cities across California will gain critical job skills while making a positive and lasting impact in their communities.

Included in California’s 2021-2022 budget, the #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps program provides $150 million for youth workforce development in California’s 13 largest cities and $35 million for other counties and cities around the state.

“The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Job Corps program is a great investment in our youth,” said Assemblymember Marc Levine. “This opportunity will provide underserved youth with valuable work experience and life skills while having positive impacts on their community. It may even inspire a new generation of public servants and leaders in the North Bay.”

Recruitment is open to persons aged 16-30 who are interested in service opportunities in the fields of climate action, food insecurity, education and disaster management.

Learn more about the program at CAYouthJobscorps.com.

The post California Chief Service Officer, Marin County Fire Officials Highlight Youth Workforce Investment appeared first on Post News Group. This article originally appeared on the Post News Group.


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