Incredible, potentially game-changing opportunity, for Corps! We need your help on a very short timeline!
Help The Corps Network Position Service and Conservation Corps on the Front Line of Climate-Ready Workforce Development
Dear Corps,
Huge federal investments in climate resilience and the transition to a clean and sustainable economy have created an immediate and growing need for a “climate-ready workforce.” Service and Conservation Corps are positioned to help develop this workforce.
With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey), and assistance from the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, The Corps Network is preparing to make the case to recipients of climate resilient project funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – including states, municipalities, organizations, and philanthropy – that Corps should be part of this work.
Specifically:
- The Corps Network has an opportunity to do a deep-dive assessment into our member Corps’ capacity to prepare Corpsmembers for climate-ready/green jobs, with the goal to identify commonalities, gaps, and best practices in different climate-ready/green sector training pathways. Jobs for the Future (JFF) will assist with this research process.
- The Brookings Institution will help identify where BIL and IRA project funding is landing, what it is being used for, and what jobs it is creating in different communities, states, and regions.
- The Urban Institute will drill down into job quality, including wages, benefits, opportunities for advancement, and working conditions.
The Corps Network will use information collected through this initiative to inform our advocacy work, technical assistance, and fund development strategy. The partners (TCN, Casey, Brookings, and Urban) will use this information to identify Corps that are well positioned for funding to pilot career pathways in the climate-ready workforce. See this fact sheet for more information.
How You Can Help / Participate
To help us gather the necessary information and to be eligible for any future funding opportunities that may arise as a result of this work, we need you to:
- Join an informational webinar next Thursday, November 7, at 3:00 p.m. ET. A recording will be available afterwards here on The Corps Network’s website.
- Respond to this survey about your current workforce development programming by November 8.
- Submit copies of the curriculum and training modules you are currently using. You can submit materials in the survey linked above.*
* The Corps Network and our partners respect that your training materials are central to your operations and are likely unique to your organization. Any curricula and training materials you share with The Corps Network will be used for analysis purposes only and will not be shared outside of The Corps Network and JFF. Any Corps that completes the survey and submits copies of curricula and training modules will receive one free registration to The Corps Network’s 2025 National Conference (with one paid registration).
Please consider completing the action items above to help The Corps Network position Service and Conservation Corps at the front lines of climate-ready workforce development.
More information will be provided and questions answered during the webinar.