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5. Paid & Unpaid Work Experience (3 pages max)
<br />Corpsmembers may remain at the Orange County Conservation Corps for up to two years to
<br />"earn... learn... and serve". This gives them the time necessary to develop the skills to
<br />enter the workforce. OCCC's program provides an opportunity for participants to earn a
<br />living through paid work experience, learn job skills and further their education, while they
<br />serve the public by completing conservation projects and services. Corpsmembers who
<br />determine to work at OCCC work 29 hours per week, Monday through Thursday, and
<br />receive additional training, workshops, mentoring, supportive services and case
<br />management upon returning to the campus at 2:30pm.
<br />As one of 14 local and state certified conservation corps in California, OCCC belongs to a State
<br />association of local conservation corps designated to provide services to our at -risk young adults.
<br />The year-round paid job -training work of Corpsmembers help mitigate changing climate impacts
<br />through fire fuel reduction, flood protection, water quality, reforestation, habitat restoration,
<br />wetlands protection/reparation, wildlife and native species protection, homeless encampment
<br />cleanups, bottle/can, tire, E-waste, and oil recycling. All activities support reduction of Green
<br />House Gas and a lower -carbon footprint. Many underrepresented young people in Orange
<br />County have little to no access to outdoor experiences. This is especially pervasive in the urban
<br />areas we serve, among communities of color and poverty. The mission at OCCC is to preserve
<br />and protect the environment, as well as provide paid job skills training and career technical
<br />education opportunities for young men and women who come from some of the state's most
<br />disenfranchised communities or experience homelessness. Corpsmembers participate in
<br />programs and projects that address critical state needs, including natural resources and land
<br />management, energy and climate programs, emergency response and disaster relief, recycling
<br />and land diversion programs, and active transportation development.
<br />As part of youth training, Participants have the option to be placed at Work Experience Site
<br />(WEX) and On -the -job -training locations through various multi -year partnerships with OCCC.
<br />Our community placement partnership sites including the following sites: Aerofit, Pathways
<br />Group, Heavy Equipment College of California, Associated General Contractors of America —
<br />Apprenticeship (AGC), Working Wardrobes Thrift shop, PA Commercial Construction, Heritage
<br />Museum, Boys & Girls Club of Brea, Yorba Linda & Placentia, Anaheim Independencia FRC,
<br />Community Action Partnership, Monkey Business, Walgreen's — (Santa Ana, Anaheim sites),
<br />CVS — (Santa Ana, Anaheim sites), Moxie Glam, Smart & Final, G.O.A.L.S., Costco, Dad's
<br />Matter Children's Bureau, Crush Studios, Friendly Center, Anaheim Library, Goodwill
<br />Industries, Mesa Cold Storage, Orangethorpe Elementary School, and the Southwest Carpentry
<br />Union, as measured by the worksite manager. WEX sites, offered year round, also lead to the
<br />opportunity for direct hire employment following the completion of the paid job training
<br />experience. Today, several sites continue to employ previous Corpsmembers in WEX who are
<br />now Job Coaches, Managers, Drivers, IT Specialist, Administration Assistants, HR Clerks,
<br />Warehouse staff, and more within that company. Youth training at WEX sites complete a site
<br />agreement, orientation specifically detailing policies, and transitional assistance into competitive
<br />employment, OCCC WEX sites offer paid job training in opportunities that include in -demand
<br />industries identified in the Orange County Regional Plan including Manufacturing (Aerotec site),
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