Hard Work, Low Pay, Miserable Conditions: Public Service Conservation Work, 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 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 under-served 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. The study’s objectives 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 California Conservation Corps (CCC) members from after five to more than twenty-five years post-program graduation date.

Daniel J. Dempsey studied Geography and Environment and Community at California State University Humboldt. He lectures in the fields of earth and social sciences at the college level and works in the natural resources conservation profession.