Hard work, low pay, miserable conditions: the California Conservation Corps and the young adult transition

At the time when young adults are receptive to making successful transitions from secondary education into the adult world of productive employment, I argue significant benefits can accrue to those taking jobs in public service conservation work (PSCW) programs. Via a one-year commitment to entry-level PSCW, programs such as the state of California's Conservation Corps (CCC) facilitate significant gains in self-worth and professional growth for this under-skilled and underserved age cohort. PSCW programs have the capacity to instill in the nascent worker appreciation for the values and rewards of professional service while establishing an understanding of and a commitment to academic advance, environmentalism, and the causative efforts that support and strengthen communities. This study's objectives were to measure and evaluate long-term (i.e. longitudinal) employment trends, pursuit of a formal degree, and growth in personal commitment to environmental stewardship and community wellness by entry-level participants who successfully completed the requisite, one-year tenure to qualify as a graduate of the CCC. The conclusions themselves are drawn from a CCC-funded, online survey posted to the agency's alumni population from spring 2010 through summer of 2011. My research presents growth results in these categories by California Conservation Corps (CCC) members from after five to more than twenty-five years post-program graduation date.