“Urban Corps is a certified local conservation corps whose mission is to provide young adults with the tools to expand their career opportunities through education, life skills training and paid work experience on projects that benefit the community”. In 2023, they received funding to provide 300 Corps Members with monthly trips to enjoy cultural and resources throughout San Diego County. Here is where we (Forest Service) come in, the majority of the corps members had never interacted or been introduced to the Forest Service before this day!

The corps members were going to recreate out in the forest and bike a trail in Mount Laguna. We had an hour segment, where we introduced the Forest Service, and spoke about our personal background and what we did in our position. For my segment, I gave a safety talk on how to stay safe while being out in the forest. I really enjoyed this day, prior to my internship, just like the corps members, I also had not interacted with the Forest Service. 

From personal experiences and even now with friends and family that I speak to, a lot of people have common misconceptions when they think about the Forest Service. People automatically think manual labor and the only job available within the agency is being a Park Ranger. Now I know that there are many jobs within the agency for people with ALL kinds of backgrounds. This was something I made sure to highlight in my talk with the corps members. Even though I have an accounting educational background, even if unsure that is something I’d pursue, I had found something that interested me in the agency. Hoping to inspire them and educate them on the job opportunities available in the Forest Service.