CCNB recently highlighted Elmer’s story while he was making strides in English learning on top of his already remarkable knowledge of power tools. We are proud to bring a new development in his career: Elmer successfully interviewed for and has accepted a high-quality, sustainable job opportunity at WRA Landscape Consultants!
Elmer G., as well as former corpsmember Daniel R., both found out about WRA during a recent job fair made possible in collaboration with the Ecological Workforce Initiative. These job fairs expose corpsmembers to the many career pathways they can follow, with an emphasis on careers in the ecological field. The skills corpsmembers develop at CCNB directly align with environmental careers, as these positions require a knowledge of the local ecology, fire resilience practices, and habitat restoration for the long-term survival of our green spaces.
“During my interview with [WRA], I quickly realized that this was going to be a good opportunity for me,” said Elmer. “I also really liked talking to the crew supervisor and other people from WRA because they made me feel comfortable and welcome,” he added. He is now ready to take on new challenges: “I’m looking forward to developing more skills than I already have. To step out of my comfort zone, work on new projects, and continue to help the environment.”
Elmer shared with us how well-received his extensive knowledge of chipper and other power tools is at WRA. “During my interview, staff at WRA were excited that I have so much experience with the chipper,” he said. He also credits CCNB for the encouragement to continue learning English, which is another skill he is committed to building.
We are thrilled that Elmer and Daniel earned positions in a field that allows them to utilize their expertise, garner new skills, and continue to make our communities more resilient, sustainable, and equitable.