The Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) is still hiring for three positions on all-veteran crews in the Tacoma area.
Each crew consists of five AmeriCorps members and one Forester Technician supervisor. The crews will be deployed as part of a statewide effort to survey and remove marine debris from Washington’s coastline. Crews will also coordinate and manage large-scale volunteer cleanup efforts in locations easily accessible to citizens.
WCC crew members receive minimum wage. Recently returned military veterans are eligible for behavior health training and military benefits counseling through a WCC partnership with the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans on WCC crews may also qualify for AmeriCorps scholarships or education awards of up to $5,050, which can be used for paying off pre-existing student loans.
The WCC was created in 1983 and has provided opportunities and training for more than 1,700 people, mostly young adults. The WCC also receives federal AmeriCorps funding and Washington Department of Natural Resources funding through the 2012 Jobs Now Act.
In 2011, the Washington Legislature created the Puget SoundCorps with the WCC to focus specifically on jobs for young adults and military veterans that benefit Puget Sound recovery.
Those interested in applying for a WCC all-veteran crew position should contact Stephanie Jackson, Veterans and Project Coordinator with the WCC, at swer461@ecy.wa.gov.
Washington Conservation Corps (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/wcc/index.html)
AmeriCorps (http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps)
Washington Department of Natural Resources (http://www.dnr.wa.gov)
Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (http://www.dva.wa.gov)
