With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Get Moving, Long Beach College Students: Applications For City Corps Due Soon
Students from Long Beach City College, pictured here, are among the fellowship's preferred candidates.
(
Courtesy of Long Beach City College
)
Listen
1:17
Get Moving, Long Beach College Students: Applications For City Corps Due Soon
Long Beach is getting ready to close its application period for a new corps program, one that’s geared at providing local students with a pathway toward careers in public service.
The program was made possible by a one-time $300,000 investment from the city. When choosing between candidates, the city will prioritize local residents who are completing their coursework at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Long Beach, or Long Beach City College. Recent graduates can also apply.
“We're mindful that a lot of young people — or people in general who graduated in recent years — have not been afforded a broad array of job training opportunities, in part because of challenges related to COVID-19 and remote work,” said Eli Romero, a Long Beach workforce development officer who will help oversee the program.
Sponsored message
Good to know:
Applications for the fellowship are due November 30. Candidates are required to submit a résumé and an unofficial transcript. They must also answer questions about their career objectives and select their three preferred city departments. In Long Beach, this includes everything from the local airport to public works. Ultimately, the city will select 50 students for the first cohort. They’ll start to work in February 2024, earning $22 an hour.
“We look at this as an equity issue,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, superintendent-president at Long Beach City College. His students, many of whom are the first in their families to go to college, can’t afford to work for free, he said. “And so, unless there's a financial compensation attached to these internships and fellowships, it excludes a large percentage of our students.”
For Muñoz, exposing students to career possibilities is also important.
“You can only aspire to what you know,” he said. “And if you don't have those direct experiences, it really limits what you think the job options are.”
Applications are due Nov. 30, 2023. And the city will select 50 students for the inaugural cohort.
The fellowship was born out of a lot of community feedback, Romero said. Among residents, “there is a big demand to ensure that the city’s workforce reflects the racial makeup of its residents.”
In his view, the fellowship “is a way to ensure that we chart a course for young people from diverse backgrounds to get good quality jobs.”
Sponsored message
In addition to work experience, the city has set aside funds to provide students with clothing vouchers so they feel confident in a professional setting, and help them cover the cost of transportation, utilities, and rent.
“We want to make sure that people have a fair chance of engaging in day-to- day work, free of distractions,” Romero said. “Folks can't really engage in employment training if they're worried about how they're going to pay the next bill.”
Once fellows complete the program, they’ll have access to career counseling and related services — regardless of whether they opt to pursue a career in public service or something new.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
