special promotional section
To get the word out about available training programs , the Collaborative held information sessions in neighborhoods included in the Sacramento Promise Zone , a section of Sacramento from Del Paso to Meadowview designated by the U . S . Department of Housing and Urban Development as an area for investment aid based on low education and high poverty rates . The training was open to anyone who was interested . “ We just wanted them to bring their best effort to complete the program ,” Bodipo-Memba says .
SMUD ’ s eight-week training course , similar to others in the Collaborative , teaches the basic skills necessary to get a foot in the door at an intern or entry level working on projects like installing solar panels . But graduates are encouraged to build on what they learn .
“ The first classes really establish a foundation for upward mobility and the potential to grow with career skills that can survive over a long period of time ,” Bodipo-Memba says . He reports that one graduate has already moved on to work on safety programs for a construction company and that others have been incorporated into SMUD ’ s Energy Careers Pathway program , which can lead to higher levels of technical work on projects like the Collaborative ’ s recent installation of solar trees in Del Paso and South Sacramento that provide shade and phone re-charging stations .
In similar fashion , graduates of the eight-week Energy Baron program that the SBCC sponsors at Eco-Alpha , a Sacramento-based environmental and engineering firm , learn the basics of the mechanical and electrical systems that power large facilities , such as office buildings and sports stadiums .
“ We had to focus our training program on our industry and develop our own workforce , knowing what our clients want ,” says founder and CEO Melanie Harrison Okoro . Graduates move into entry level jobs with a livable wage , but Okoro says the main goal is to give trainees more
Sacramento County
A COUNTYWIDE COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY , EQUITY AND INCLUSION
S acramento County is actively pursuing a commitment to diversity , racial
equity and inclusion , both in the community and within its own ranks .
In 2020 , the County declared racism a public health crisis and committed to collecting , analyzing and reporting demographic , socioeconomic and
public health data to measure progress toward eliminating racial inequities . As part of the resolution , the County is working to establish a diversity , racial equity and inclusion policy cabinet . Once in place , the cabinet will implement a racial equity lens in day-to-day public service delivery to address inequalities and engage the community on issues of equity . “ We will focus that equity lens on many aspects of our operations to identify and eliminate barriers and inequities that have prevented full participation for all residents ,” says Sacramento County Executive Ann Edwards . The County will also be implementing implicit bias training across all departments and positions . Providing training to all employees will help promote understanding of the issues at stake and more effectively attain diversity , equity and inclusion goals . Edwards is enthusiastic about guiding the County in a direction that will benefit team members as well as community members . “ I am committed to initiatives that support and foster diversity , racial equity and inclusion in the workplace and beyond and look forward to our improvements becoming part of the fabric of Sacramento County ,” she says .
www . saccounty . net
SPONSORED PROFILE
November 2021 | comstocksmag . com 17