Young Adults Pitching Energy Conservation Can't Find Jobs

While not all corpsmembers continue working in the environmental conservation industry, only five of the 129 corpsmembers trained since October 2010 have been hired to work in the green workforce, said Scott Linton, programs manager for EnergySmart.

"The industry is still in a rut," he said. Though CEOs know corps graduates are "system thinkers," funds are "dry," making it difficult to embark on new projects.

"Because of the fact that our economy is so poor, it's really putting a damper on the industry growth," said Moilov.

The CCC's Core Training Program teaches at-risk young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 to be proactive in California's environmental projects, like stream restoration and re-landscaping for water efficiency.

Each young adult goes through a year-long training program, showing them how to become "good citizens through community engagement," said William R. Brumfield Jr., CCC training program supervisor.

Brumfield, who has worked with the CCC for over 18 years, has seen "young adults who are enthusiastic about energy efficiency" communicate with business representatives to impart tips on how to make their corporation sustainable and cost-efficient.

"We're giving [companies] the chance to get free incentives," said 21-year-old Antonio Gatica, special corpsmember.

Gatica has spent three years with the CCC and graduated from the Core Training Program.  Now, he holds a leadership role in the CCC's effort to encourage businesses to be more environmentally conscious.

Gatica is one of the leaders in the EnergySmart Jobs program—a CCC project just six months underway that encourages companies to become more energy-efficient.  He speaks face-to-face with business owners to offer an "energy upgrade" that helps businesses save money.

ESJ conducts upgrades such as changing business's light bulbs from fluorescent to LED and installing sensors that conserve up to 20 percent of energy (in kilowatts) per year, said Brumfield.

As soon as business owners understand that corpsmembers are eager to evaluate and improve business's energy efficiency, they say "yes, yes, yes, come in," said Gatica.  And that is when Gatica and his coworkers educate people on the importance of saving energy. 

President Barack Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds many of California's environmental programs through its State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate, also known as "cash for appliances" program.

The ARRA distributed more than $35 million to California energy-conservation projects, according to the U.S. Department of Energy—about 11 percent of the $300 million distributed to states across the nation.