With a $20,000 grant awarded between The San Diego Foundation and the county’s Amplifying Systems of Support for Youth Career Readiness and Employment program, Urban Corps of San Diego County is set to train corps members who live in Chula Vista, Escondido and Vista for green jobs. County departments that corps members could be placed at upon graduation are Parks and Recreation, Planning and Development Services, Public Works, Agriculture, Weights and Measures, Environmental Health and Quality, Library, and General Services.
Urban Corps Marketing & Outreach’s Teresa Leader Anderson said the great thing about this program is that it is green jobs.
“For the grant, they targeted Chula Vista, Vista and Escondido. According to the grant guidelines, those had the highest need for programs for disconnected youth. But it does not eliminate or discriminate against anybody throughout the entire county,” she said. “Green jobs are the future and those are going to be highly desirable, so this is really a wonderful opportunity for the corps members or any of these youth 18 to 26 to come in and get trained in a job that may have the potential to get them a career for the rest of their lives. Getting them into a high-paying job that will give them benefits and last for a while.”
Urban Corps CEO Kyle Kennedy said corps members who want to work in these communities will be trained, earn certifications to be placed in green jobs with the county of San Diego. Kennedy said the Corps serves the entire grant, but the grants were specific on what communities were selected for this program, and the demand for green jobs is continuously increasing.
“We are looking for people ages 18 to 26 from all over San Diego County, willing to join Urban Corp and participate in this program. This is a unique program where the county is trying to bolster its recruitment,” he said. “They are like everybody in the country right now looking for entry level employees. Getting a government job is typically a lengthy process, but this will help streamline it.”
Kennedy said interested persons will be evaluated, find out what their goals are, and if it is to get a job with the county, they will tell them exactly what needs to be done, what certifications are needed, and help them achieve. He said if a person has a San Diego County address, they will be accepted into this program.
“When they meet these requirements, we will help them apply and they will get a leg up in the whole employment process,” he said. For more information about Urban Corps or to apply, www.urbancorpssd.org.
