By Dianne Anderson

Local students are stepping up their professional game in the last year of college, upleveling with a foot in the door of good paying city careers to future proof a hot jobs market.

Whether a senior at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Long Beach State, or a second year with at least 30 units completed at Long Beach City College, the Long Beach fellowship program is getting young people working up to 700 hours within city departments with hands-on learning through internships.

Up until Friday, June 30, the city has opened its second cohort of applications, but the field is tight. Last year, they brought 50 into the cohort out of 300 applicants, and expect 50 this time around.

Interested applicants between ages 18 to 30 should look to access their early session on June 21.

Through the program, Mayor Rex Richardson said the city is nurturing the next generation of leaders in public service.

“The Public Service Corps program provides college students with a unique chance to make a meaningful impact in our community while gaining invaluable real-work experience,” he said in a release.” Paired with wraparound services and job counseling, this program is changing the way we offer workforce development opportunities for our residents.”

Even traditional academic programs do not necessarily prepare students as well as the city’s fellowship program that offers hands-on learning and access to role models.

No doubt, it makes them a lot more competitive.

Eli Romero said the cohort program offers a unique opportunity to invest in local talent. Students can access professional development workshops across many topics, including public safety, policy, health and general community services.

“It’s all in the hopes to inspire them to consider a career, not only with the city of Long Beach, but public agencies across the region or maybe nonprofit sector, designed to bolster in community service and public engagement,” said Romero, Workforce Officer with Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network.

Diversity is the priority, and tied to community action as one of several goals to come out of the city’s Racial Reconciliation Initiative with strategic plans for youth and emerging adults.

He said the community wants to see the workforce much more representative of residents, and sessions are inspiring Black youth to see themselves represented in the workforce and have a good experience with the city.

“They get to work with individuals who currently hold positions in hard-to-fill jobs across the city, and shadow them for nearly a year. That experience is a unique opportunity to acquire a skill set that they could not easily be trained in [without] the opportunity,” he said.

Last year, the city launched its fellowship placement program in partnership with California State University, Long Beach, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Long Beach City College.

It is also collaborating with the City’s Department of Economic Development’s Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network, the Human Resources department, legislative offices, and support staff.

In the future, the program and others like it could potentially give them hiring preference. In November, voters will decide on a proposed ballot item from the Mayor’s office to reform the city’s hiring practices. Local university graduates and those who complete an internship with the city could qualify for a local hiring preference.

Due to policy issues, the city can’t ask applicants for demographic data, but he said they are working closely with different stakeholders to ensure a diverse applicant pool and the students who are eventually selected.

The program collaborates with the Black Employees Association, which is reaching African American students and leading efforts to get the word out to the community and networks.

“We’ve worked with student union affinity groups on campuses, the Male Success Alliance at Dominguez Hills, Umoja program is Black youth-centered, also the Black Students Union,” he said. “We want the city workforce to reflect the people in the city.”

Other job opportunities at Pacific Gateway include work internships at the Youth Opportunity Center for youth aged 14-24, who live in Long Beach, Signal Hill, or Los Angeles Harbor Communities.

Participants earn up to $16 an hour for up to 160 hours of work experience. The criteria to participate are that the family must receive CalWORKs cash assistance, be a current or former foster youth or Homeless, or justice-involved. Participants should be low-income
pregnant or parenting, LGBTQ+, or physically, mentally or learning disabled.

The Long Beach Youth Opportunity Center is located at 4811 Airport Plaza Dr., Ste. 120.

Earlier this year, the city also launched the Futures First initiative with its career help and opportunities for youth aged 16 to 24, who make up about 20% of youth in the city who are not attending school or working.

“It is crucial that our community recognize the unique challenges faced by our youth and acknowledge the transformative impact that comprehensive support can have on their lives,” said Alison King, Director of Health and Human Services, in a city press release.

For younger, harder to reach students at the high school level, Romero said that Future LB offers many beneficial programs.

“We have a variety of different programs. I highly encourage any young person 14 to 24 up to 30, whether still in school or they have unfortunately dropped out, who are still looking to engage,” he said.

For Long Beach Public Service Corps application, see https://bit.ly/3VHGn2G

For Youth Internships, seehttps://bit.ly/4b0kJuZ

For more information on Futures First, see https://bit.ly/4b3DRIG