Initial Training

Before applicants become corpsmembers, they attend a week-long "COMET" session, usually at their new center. COMET stands for Corpsmember Orientation, Motivation, Education, and Training. During this intensive introduction to the CCC, trainees are unpaid. During COMET, the trainees are issued their CCC uniforms and learn about many aspects of the CCC. This includes physical training/wellness; safe tool use; illness and injury prevention; human relations and effective communications; alcohol and other drug information; first aid/CPR; water safety and roadside safety; initial education assessment and individual goal setting, and more.

While in COMET, trainees receive a physical exam to determine that they can perform corpsmember duties. After successful completion of the physical (and the drug test, if not previously completed) as well as the COMET courses, they graduate with basic knowledge and skills to help them succeed in the CCC. More education and training will take place throughout their stay in the Corps.

Once trainees complete the COMET session, they're ready to be assigned to one of the crews at their center. Those in the residential program will receive a room assignment as well. All of the new corpsmembers are now put on the payroll and begin to earn monthly paychecks.

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A Typical Day

What's life like in the Corps? The day starts early for members of the CCC. Whether they're living in dorms at a CCC center or living at home and commuting to work, corpsmembers will be getting up early.

At a residential center, breakfast may be served before the sun comes up. Corpsmembers have a chance for a hearty meal before their workday begins. They also take that time to pack a bag lunch to eat on the project site.

Either before or after breakfast, it's time for room clean-up, then off to roll call. Then it's time for the different crews – composed of 10-15 corpsmembers each -- to depart in vans or larger vehicles for the day's project. In the CCC, crews will travel up to an hour or so to reach a project site. Corpsmembers may also be assigned to an internship program.

At the project site, there are "tailgate sessions" to talk about safety and often "work/learn" discussions to discover more about the value of the work.

After Work: Crews return to the center in the late afternoon and, for those in the residential program, there's time for a quick shower before dinner in the dining hall. Then, several evenings a week, corpsmembers will attend class, either working on GEDs or high school diplomas or advancing their education through other opportunities. Some will spend time in the center's computer lab. Nonresidential corpsmembers stay a little longer at work a few days a week for classroom instruction, or, in some locations, devote Friday to their studies.

All corpsmembers will take a "Conservation Awareness" class, studying the environmental principles behind the CCC's work, and "Career Development," preparing them for life after the CCC.

When class is over, corpsmembers are free to spend the evenings as they please, but knowing that the alarm clock will go off early again the next morning.

Most centers have evening community meetings on a weekly basis, giving corpsmembers a chance to discuss issues of importance to them. There are also Corpsmember Advisory Boards with its leaders selected by the corpsmembers themselves.

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Typical Work Projects

For those who love the outdoors and want a variety of work assignments, the CCC is the place. Corpsmembers work hard and the day-to-day efforts can be physically challenging. But they are also rewarding, with corpsmembers knowing that they are making a contribution to California's natural resources and communities.

Corpsmembers go out each workday with their crew -- a group of 10-15 corpsmembers -- and their crew supervisor, who is a CCC staff member. The crews work for a wide range of project sponsors -- local, state, and federal agencies and nonprofit groups. For more on how the CCC might work for your agency, click here.

During their time in the program, corpsmembers will be exposed to many different kinds of projects and develop basic skills in many areas. Often a project will spark an interest that will carry over to a job after the CCC, or perhaps a future career.

Typical projects include park development, tree planting, trail building, assistance to Caltrans with freeway landscape maintenance, fire hazard reduction, flood prevention work, non-native plant removal, minor construction, erosion control efforts, fish habitat restoration, irrigation system installation and more.

The CCC undertakes projects that benefit the public and provide skills training for corpsmembers. Most work is located within about an hour of the nearest CCC center. Occasionally corpsmembers work on more distant projects called "spikes," where temporary corpsmember housing is provided.

When natural disasters strike, corpsmembers are dispatched to where they're needed for fire camp support, flood control, earthquake recovery or oil spill cleanup. Project sponsors are aware of the CCC's emergency response mission and that crews may be called away from their ongoing work.

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Pay and Benefits

Corpsmembers start out at $8.00 an hour. For those at residential centers, there is a $300 monthly deduction for room and board.

After completing 900 paid hours, corpsmembers receive a $100 cash bonus; after 1500 hours, they receive an additional $200. Members of the CCC receive vacation and sick leave which accrues along with their time in the Corps.

Those who become crewleaders and specialists receive increases in their hourly pay rate.

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Education and Training

Employers are placing more emphasis on education when hiring entry-level workers, and the CCC wants its corpsmembers to enter the working world with the tools they need to succeed. In the CCC's education program, all corpsmembers will devote at least three hours a week to classes. Those without high school diplomas or GEDs will work to obtain them, with assistance through the Muir Charter School. The CCC also works with local adult schools and community colleges.

Numerous graduation ceremonies are held during the year to honor those who've earned diplomas or GEDs in the Corps.

All corpsmembers take courses in Career Development and Conservation Awareness. In Career Development, the focus is on putting together a resume and building job search and interview skills, preparing for employment after the Corps. Conservation Awareness teaches corpsmembers about environmental principles and the "why" behind their work. As the CCC likes to say, "Conservation is our Middle Name!"

Most centers have learning resource centers that include computers with Internet access. Corpsmembers are encouraged to advance their computer literacy while in the Corps.

Tutorial assistance and counseling may be available as well.

Additional training
All corpsmembers receive training in the initial COMET period as well as throughout their time in the Corps. Corpsmembers can also work towards what the CCC calls "supergrade" positions. In these positions, corpsmembers with leadership training help supervise other corpsmembers as crewleaders; others become specialists, receiving training in areas such as food service, tool room/supply, landscaping, maintenance and chainsaw work. Both crewleaders and specialists earn higher pay and the opportunity to stay in the CCC an extra year.

Other training includes advanced first aid and CPR responder, chainsaw instruction, firefighting (initial attack) certification by the U.S. Forest Service and more. The CCC also assists with drivers' training and Class B and C license instruction in many locations.

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Career Opportunities

There are now more than 95,000 former corpsmembers who have put their CCC skills and experience to work for them.

Employers value the CCC work ethic and look favorably upon applicants who've been a part of the Corps. They know they're hiring young men and women who are responsible, punctual and self-disciplined, who know how to work together as a team. Employers can teach the specific job skills an applicant may be lacking, but it's harder to instill the good work habits embedded in corpsmembers.

What happens to corpsmembers after the CCC? Some use their scholarships to go to school full-time or part-time. Others join the workforce, in jobs ranging from firefighters, police officers and park rangers to construction workers, small business owners and college professors. Many find entry-level positions with various state and federal agencies they've worked with. Corpsmembers who participated in the cook specialist program have gone on to permanent positions in the food service industry.

And at least one corpsmember signed a record contract prompted by a song he wrote in the CCC. Coolio, the Grammy-award-winning entertainer, was a Pomona corpsmember during the 1980s.

Many young people come to the Corps uncertain about what they want to do with their lives and end up discovering a future career or a career direction while in the CCC.

For corpsmembers, the future is wide open!

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Scholarships

Corpsmembers can earn up to $12,000 in scholarships through their work at the CCC, from two different scholarship programs.

CCC Scholarship: Corpsmembers who spend a year in the CCC and successfully complete classes in career planning and environmental awareness, along with 48 hours of volunteer service, are eligible for up to $2,000 in scholarship money. These funds can be used to cover educational expenses at academic or vocational schools including community colleges, four-year colleges and universities and technical and trade schools. Corpsmembers who stay a second year in the CCC are eligible for an additional scholarship of up to $2,000. This scholarship money is available to corpsmember for two years after they graduate from the CCC.

Corps Network Education Award: There's another way to earn scholarship money in the CCC; the Corps Network AmeriCorps Education Award offered by a national association of service and conservation corps programs. All corpsmember can sign up for these opportunities. Those who successfully complete 900 hours of service earn a $2,362.50 Education Award. Corpsmembers who complete 1,700 hours can earn $4,725. Corpsmembers may earn up to two of these Awards and have up to seven years to use them. Time spent earning these awards does not count toward the CCC Scholarship.

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Center Housing -- Experiencing Residential Living

For many corpsmembers, the CCC is their first time living away from home. It's a chance to meet new people and see them 24/7 ... at breakfast, on the project, at lunch, during class, in the evenings.

The CCC's residential centers have dormitories for men and women. Corpsmembers usually share rooms with several others; a few private rooms are available in most locations, and go to those with good work records.

Meals are served in the dining hall, with a good variety of foods available, including a vegetarian menu. The meals are prepared by professional cooks, assisted by corpsmember cook specialists. On weekdays, corpsmembers eat breakfast and dinner in the dining hall, and usually pack a bag lunch to take to the work site. On the weekends, the centers offer two meals, brunch and dinner. Special banquets are arranged for holidays and other center celebrations; in summer, outdoor barbecues are often planned.

Corpsmember common areas include a library/lounge and recreation room. Many centers also have exercise rooms, large-screen TVs, pool tables and other amenities to make CCC life more enjoyable.

For those who haven't lived away from home before, residential living gives them "on-the-job" training in life skills, from managing money to doing laundry to getting up for work on time.

Weekends
Except during emergency response, corpsmembers have the weekends to themselves, and can make use of their free time any way they want, Most centers have volunteer activities several weekends a month, and often organize athletic competitions and recreational trips, maybe a trip to the snow, to the beach or a nearby amusement park. Corpsmembers can visit family and friends, or stay around the center and just relax with fellow corpsmembers.

Corpsmembers may have cars, with registration and proof of insurance required to park the vehicle on state property.

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Special Programs

There are exciting opportunities in the CCC beyond the day-to-day projects. Want to spend five months camping out at Yosemite or other wilderness areas? Consider the Backcountry Trails Program.

The CCC's Salmon Restoration Program along the North Coast is the largest restoration effort of its kind in the country. The program was developed in partnership with the Department of Fish and Game in 1980; since that time, corpsmembers have restored or enhanced nearly 1,800 miles of streams and fish habitat.

How about three months working "Down Under" with Conservation Volunteers Australia? Corpsmembers may want to tackle natural resource work with an international flavor and apply for the Australian Work Exchange Program.

For those interested in GIS/GPS mapping, the CCC has a special GIS Data Collection crew located in San Luis Obispo.

For more details on Special Programs, click here

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Internships

The CCC has a great degree of flexibility and can offer both work crews of 10-15 corpsmembers as well as internships, where one or two corpsmembers can assist an agency.

Internships are available to corpsmembers with excellent work habits who are selected by their supervisors to participate. State agencies such as California State Parks, the Department of Fish and Game and Caltrans often use interns to assist with park and maintenance work and other varied tasks. The CCC works with local and federal agencies as well, ranging from the City of Milpitas to UC Berkeley and the City of Escondido to the Bureau of Land Management and the Joshua Tree National Park.

These placements offer the advantage of receiving specialized training and developing closer working relationships with potential future employers. For corpsmembers, this is a chance to work alongside skilled employees, including building trades professionals, and learn from their expertise. The internships may lead to job opportunities; many corpsmembers have been hired into entry-level positions by these agencies after completing their internships.

The CCC welcomes new internship opportunities; if your agency has a possible position in mind, give the Corps a call.

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Promotional Opportunities

	Corpsmember Specialist Depending on their location, corpsmembers may specialize in an area such as cooking, tools/supply room, maintenance or chainsaw work. Cook specialists, for example, receive training in meal preparation, dietary and menu planning, inventory procedures and food ordering. As a specialist, a corpsmember wears a green hat and earn a pay raise and an extra year in the Corps. To apply, corpsmembers need positive performance evaluations from their supervisors.
	Crewleader* A crewleader assists CCC staff, serves as a role model for fellow corpsmembers, helps other corpsmembers in gaining work and education skills and supports CCC values such as honesty, integrity, respect, hard work, quality effort, teamwork and tolerance. To become a crewleader, corpsmembers complete a course in leadership training and meet other center requirements. Those efforts will be rewarded with a pay raise, a chance to stay an extra year and a red hat.
	Crewleader II* This is the highest rank available to corpsmembers. Successful crewleaders may apply to become Crewleader IIs and receive a pay raise, an extra year in the Corps, and an orange hat.

* These leadership positions also provide experience valuable for CCC entry-level crew supervisor (staff) jobs.

Take advantage of promotional opportunities!

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Volunteer Activities

The service ethic is a big part of the Corps; volunteering in their local communities offers young people a chance to give back. Centers regularly get involved in weekend activities that assist nonprofit groups in their area.

Corpsmembers may be involved in staffing Earth Day, Martin Luther King Day or Cinco de Mayo events, providing logistical support for charity marathons, including large-scale races such as San Francisco's Bay-to-Breakers; and assisting with many other activities, including the Special Olympics, neighborhood cleanup efforts, cultural fairs, blood drives and holiday food drives.

To earn a CCC scholarship, corpsmembers must complete 48 hours of volunteer work during their year in the program. Most corpsmembers devote many more hours to volunteer activities and find it personally rewarding. CCC alumni frequently comment that they began volunteering while in the Corps, and still make time to get involved.

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Friends and Fun

The CCC is an exciting opportunity offered to young men and women. In the Corps, it's more than a job, it's an experience. Part of that experience includes making new friends and developing new interests and skills.

In the CCC, corpsmembers develop a strong bond with those on their crew and at their center. Corpsmembers will meet young people from all walks of life and often develop long-lasting friendships.

Along with their weekday natural resource work, corpsmembers will have time for after-hours recreational activities, including hiking, volleyball, basketball, camping, softball, rock climbing, snow trips, rafting, and excursions to amusement parks, beaches, cities, parks and recreation areas and much more.

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The CCC Challenge

Hard work, low pay, miserable conditions ... and more!

Former CCC Director B.T. Collins liked to boast that the Corps was all about "hard work, low pay, miserable conditions." Over the years, the CCC added "...and more!" to that motto, reflecting both the unlimited challenges and the opportunities in the program.

After more than a quarter century, the CCC finds there is no shortage of young men and women eager to sign up.

The CCC is what a corpsmember makes of it, and each can take away something different from the experience. Many of the Corps' alumni cite their time in the Corps as the experience of a lifetime, the best time of their lives.

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Why Join?

Corpsmembers join for many reasons, to:

Some of the work the CCC accomplishes will provide memories that last a lifetime. Some projects will prompt corpsmembers to bring family members back to their worksite years later, to share in their achievements.

Give the CCC a try!

Click here for more on how to become a member of the CCC.

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