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.

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“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.”

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.