Redwoods Region Resource Rally Cultivates K-12 Roots for Natural Resources Careers
K-12 Ag & Natural Resources Industry Day
Northern California’s timber business is buzzing, but finding enough employees to meet sky-high demand is a real logjam.
“It’s really become close to a crisis in the timber industry to attract workers,” says Sal Chinnici, Director of Forest Sciences at Humboldt and Mendocino Redwood Companies.
From loggers to sawmill operators, foresters, wildlife biologists, and fishery techs, the director says the applicant pool is shrinking as the workforce ages. He recalls, “We saw a need to collaborate and educate young folks about jobs in our industry.”
That’s why the North Coast Agriculture Partners, a group of 16 high school agriculture programs in the Far North, created the “Redwood Region Resource Rally.” This day-long demonstration brings students from all over the region to the Humboldt and Mendocino Redwood Companies facilities, where industry experts teach fun, hands-on activities in mechanics, fisheries, timber falling, and more. The rally also includes a separate track for agriculture production students to tour local dairy, beef, and organic produce farms.
This September, about 200 students from Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Mendocino, and Lake counties traveled to the seventh annual rally in Scotia, exploring high-demand, high-paying careers in agriculture and natural resources.
“It’s not a regular career day,” says Sandra “Sandy” Dale, Agriculture Program Specialist for the North Coast Agriculture Partners. “Students interact with industry professionals and participate in activities that are representative of what they might be doing in the field.”
Steering Success: SKID CAR Training Accelerates Critical Law Enforcement Skill at COS
College of the Siskiyous Law Enforcement Academy
They’re swerving, sliding and spinning out… but it’s all good. In fact, it’s by design.
Students in the Law Enforcement Academy at College of the Siskiyous are taking control of their careers by losing control of their cars. Thanks to recent Strong Workforce funding, the College is receiving full support to upgrade its dynamic SKID CAR training facilities. The specialized instruction helps cadets learn how to recognize when oversteering or understeering is occurring, and how to respond to maintain control of the vehicle as it loses traction.
This training is a vital lesson for cadets who, as first responders, will often find themselves in situations out in the field where they may lose control while moving at high speeds — especially on rough roads or during the months of inclement weather the region is known for.
“In law enforcement, as in other public safety fields, we’re required to routinely drive in circumstances well beyond what most people will normally safely drive,” says Louis Mero, Director of the Law Enforcement Academy at College of the Siskiyous.
“We’re expected to be able to get to anywhere that people need that help … Learning how the vehicle works, how it really moves, understanding the limits of traction control, it's these kinds of experiences and critical training that gives us the necessary tools and understanding to be able to get safely where we need to be in order to help those who need it most.”
In today’s rapidly evolving economy, continued education has become imperative for achieving career success. Technological innovations,industry shifts and new practices mean that the learning process never ends. For instance, LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Report found that skill sets for jobs have changed by 25% since 2015 with the number expected to double by 2027. Adult learners often need to balance work, family and other personal obligations with their academic commitments. Continuing education requires a constant balance of work and life responsibilities with learning time, which is why adult learners should look for institutions and programs that offer the flexibility and support that suit their needs.
New research was highlighted at the Dual Enrollment Equity Conference last week. Jus tpublished, A Strong Start for College and Career: Dual Enrollment Participation From 9th to 12th Grade from PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) provides the findings in an infographic format of dual enrollment in California. It focuses on participation by grade level based on data disaggregated by race and SES (data from the CDE and the Chancellor's Office). This report is worth reading carefully. Here are some highlights:
Dual enrollment participation (% of students) by county can give insights that can help us see where there is opportunity for growth. (See p.5)
The report provides insights into course taking patterns, including CTE participation (24% of dual enrollment in the state) by field of study (CC Top Code). (p.10-11)
Interdisciplinary studies (Secondary Education (Grades 9–12); GED; Career Guidance/Orientation; Academic Guidance) has the highest participation rate (high of 38.5% for 9th grade, 18.3% average across all grades) (p.10)
The report affirms CCAP and other intentional partnerships with opportunities for 9th grade participation to have more equitable outcomes, noting the "potential of early access to dual enrollment in 9th grade to close educational equity gaps in participation" (p.15)
The 2025 James Irvine Foundation
Leadership Awards
The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards program, Capitol Impact is excited to share that nominations for the 2025 Awards are now open. The program recognizes and honors outstanding underrecognized leaders who are making significant contributions to addressing critical challenges within California's communities. Each year, the Awards honor 4-6 leaders, or pairs of leaders, which includes a $350,000 grant and help amplifying their work.
We hope that you’d consider nominating a leader making a difference in their community for a 2025 Leadership Award.
How you canhelp:
Nominate a Leader: More information is included in the email below and on the website.
Spread the Word: Share the call for nominations through your social media channels, newsletters, or any other communication platforms. You can use our social toolkit with resources, including key messages, graphics, and other materials.
Engage on Social Media: Follow the Awards on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X to amplify the 2025 Leadership Awards
Events
NFN Career Compass Summits
The North Far North Regional Consortium is hosting two exciting one-day regional Career Compass Summits! One is on Tuesday, April 30 in Sacramento - the other is on Thursday, May 2 in Redding. You are invited to attend either summit.
The overarching goal of these summits is increasing the understanding, adoption, and advocacy of career technical education and community college certificate/degree attainment as a great choice for career development for students, particularly those in K-12 schools. All K-12 and community college career guidance counselors in the Sacramento and Far North regions are invited! K-12 and community college administrators, career guidance faculty & technicians, CTE district leaders, local workforce leaders, school board members, and other educational professionals are also invited.
Learn about the current labor market information for our region, hear from local industry and educational representatives, familiarize with the CTE offerings at our local community colleges, network with colleagues, and more! Lunch and light refreshments will be provided.
The registration fee is $50/person -- if this cost is prohibitive for your attendance, instructions are provided for NFNRC to provide you with a discount code to register for free.
In partnership with the National Association of Higer Education Systems (NASH).
Through philanthropic support, NASH has $220,000 available to
award to institutions within California’s systems of higher education in recognition of interventions that remove cost as a barrier to higher education. This funding is available through NASH’s Catalyst Fund, which recognizes interventions proven to support student success locally that have the potential for replication and scale within and across public higher education systems.
Please see attached materials for more information, including the request for proposals overview. Successful proposals will receive a minimum of $5,000 that can be used flexibly in support of the awarded intervention. Proposals should detail interventions that are already being implemented to address problems of practice inequitable access and affordability, including but not limited to:
Making college accessible to low-income students by meeting their full financial needs, particularly needs that are unaddressed by traditional financial aid packages and policies.
Making college affordable to students by reducing the net price through reduced tuition rates or providing: differential tuition based on circumstances, fee waivers, need-based scholarships, last-dollar gap-filling awards, open educational resources (OER), and microgrants to attend to basic needs (e.g., food, housing, clothes, books, supplies, etc.)
Improving practices, timeliness, and transparency, related to communicating and demonstrating clear and standard information about cost and financial aid offers to help students and families assess college affordability.
Providing wrap-around support for non-traditional and/or low-income students through daycare and other social services, transportation, food banks, affordable housing, healthcare, legal assistance, etc.
Decreasing time to degree through efforts targeted to low-income, traditionally under-represented, and/or non-traditional students.
Applications for awards must be submitted using the attached Word document form (Catalyst Fund RFP Form – CCC) via email to catalyst@nash.edu by 12:00PM on Monday, April 15, 2024.
To answer any questions you may have, NASH is hosting a webinar at 10:00am PT on Friday, March 15. Those who are interested can register here to receive information on joining the meeting. Any questions concerning the proposal process can also be directed via email to catalyst@nash.edu.
You are welcome and encouraged to share this email with faculty, classified professionals, and administrators at your institution.
The California State Board of Education (SBE),the California Department of Education (CDE), and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office), is soliciting public review and feedback on the edits made to the California Perkins V State Plan: In Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act Public Law 115–224, along with feedback on the Core Indicators: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/gi/perkins24comment.asp
Public Comment Period
The public comment period is from March 4 to April 4, 2024. All feedback received by 5:00 p.m. on April 4, 2024 will have a written response.
Written Public Comment
To provide written feedback, please use path2work@cde.ca.gov to submit public comments. Your written comment should include which prompt that you are addressing:
Removal of the 300-hour pathway completer requirement.
Comments on core indicators.
Please include your name, title, and entity you represent.
If you require a reasonable accommodation in the format of your submission, or have questions regarding the public feedback process, please contact Rachel Moran at path2work@cde.ca.gov.
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