Award Date - Round Two: July 24, 2025

Awarded Amount - $194,120

The Working Lands Workforce Development Pipeline project will be a replicable, pre-development project designed to prepare students for careers in forestry, land restoration, agriculture, fire prevention, and natural resource management.

The program will feature classroom-based and hands-on field training led by discipline-specific experts in ecology, hydrology, forestry, sustainable agriculture, and watershed management. Participants will also engage in job-shadowing with professionals involved in wildfire mitigation efforts, including those working within the Yuba County Wildfire Hazard Reduction Program. Students will gain academic credit and real-world experience, providing a clear bridge between education and employment.

This project will create a locally rooted, climate-conscious workforce, directly contributing to the Capital Region’s economic development and climate adaptation goals. Through Catalyst funding, Yuba College will design and launch an innovative, inclusive internship model that is scalable across the region and responsive to the urgent needs of disinvested communities and the environment they call home.