MEDIA RELEASE CT Department of Labor Communications Office Glenn Marshall, Commissioner

Connecticut Conservation Corps Is Putting Young Adults to Work in “Green” Jobs

WETHERSFIELD, June 12, 2012 – It was one of the cornerstones of The New Deal; part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s “alphabet soup” solution to help pull this country out of the depths of the Great Depression of the 1930s and get people working again. Now, an updated version of FDR’s program, the Conservation Corps, begins today, June 12 to provide summer jobs to unemployed state residents between the ages of 18 and 25.

The partnership, comprised of the Connecticut Department of Labor, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board and the Eastern Workforce Investment Board, is initially providing 30 seasonal positions that place a strong emphasis on “green” jobs.

“During this initial phase of the program, 60 state residents will have the opportunity to become part of our Connecticut Conservation Corps (CCC) team,” notes State Labor Commissioner Glenn Marshall. “Established under Connecticut General Statutes, the CCC is designed to help young adults develop skills that will help them to pursue future careers that are relevant to the state’s green economy.”

Marshall added that the CCC was also designed to help protect natural and cultural resources, and preserve the beauty of state parks, forests, wildlife management areas and historical sites while also providing recreational opportunities to the public.

“Participants will work 28 hours per week – reporting to parks and recreation areas Tuesday through Thursday and performing jobs that include clearing brush, light tree trimming and maintaining trails and paths,” Marshall said. “Individuals in the northwestern part of the state will be assigned to Southford Falls State Park and , both in Southbury, while teams in eastern Connecticut will work out of in Thompson and in Eastford.”

Following successful completion of the program, the CCC also provides participants with ongoing referral and retention support services for an additional six months, notes Rina Bakalar, Director of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness.

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Following successful completion of the program, the CCC also provides participants with ongoing referral and retention support services for an additional six months, notes Rina Bakalar, Director of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness.

“Another goal of the CCC is to provide occupational and specific skills training which can lead to entry‐level positions in good paying careers in the state’s green economy,” Bakalar noted. “In addition, participants completing the program will be eligible to earn the OSHA 10 Construction Certification; First Aid/CPR certification (including youth specific CPR); a pesticide operator’s certification and testing; knowledge of chain saws use; swimming instruction; and weatherization techniques.”

To qualify for the CCC, applicants are required to be in excellent health and earn learn less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of two, that amounts to $37,825. Preference is also being given to military veterans.

To apply for the Connecticut Conservation Corps program, individuals in the northwest are asked to visit www.nrwib.org or apply directly at the Waterbury CTWorks Career Center, located at 249 Thomaston Avenue, Waterbury, CT. In eastern Connecticut, individuals can go online to www.eastconn.org or call (860) 779‐3770.