This past November,
Sacramento County, in conjunction with Align Capital Region’s Innovative Pathways to Public Service, hosted more than 50 sophomores from George Washington Carver High School for a “Youth in Government Day” event. The students had the unique opportunity to meet Sacramento County professionals, including Don Nottoli, District 5 Supervisor, and learn about government service careers.
Students toured four different County departments that had projects or programs related to George Washington Carver High School’s theme of Social and Environmental Justice. The student’s teachers and the school district’s College and Career Readiness Program even created a curriculum around the event.
The tours allowed students to explore a small sampling of the wide variety of careers within County service.
Departments included in the tour:
“The County of Sacramento employs over 12,000 people. Folks like me – who are baby boomers – we’re going to be retired soon,” said District 5 Supervisor Don Nottoli. “Encouraging today’s youth to consider careers in public services is important. These are good jobs with good benefits, and it is rewarding work to do because you get to work on behalf of your friends, neighbors and the community we serve.”
With an entire generation of employees approaching retirement age, the County will need to hire new employees for a wide variety of departments and positions.
Some positions offer tuition assistance, uniform allowances and special compensation. The Federal Public Service Loan Program offers student loan forgiveness for full-time employees who work for certain public service employers.
Innovative Pathways to Public Service’s Experiential Learning Group is a coalition that includes Sacramento County, the Institute for Local Government, Linked Learning Alliance, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and the California Workforce Development Board.
