In Dane County, more than 4,000 residents ages 16–24 live in poverty and are not connected to education or self-sufficiency through employment. Industries such as construction and land management are evolving, and with them comes the need for a future workforce ready to build upon that evolution to improve the future. Unfortunately, many low-income youth lack job search skills and advanced credentials to compete with other candidates for career positions in climate fields. A $300,000 grant from Madison-based Ascendium will help address this by supporting Operation Fresh Start (OFS), which will improve and expand training for Dane County residents ages 18–24 who are proactively taking control of their education and career.
The training will consist of traditional trades with expansion into several aspects of natural resource management, including energy infrastructure and the conservation of urban tree canopies. Young adults may enter into these growing careers if provided the opportunity to train and receive the necessary skills, certifications, and other credentials to make them viable candidates. OFS’s proven programming makes that possible.
This grant continues a fruitful partnership between the organizations. In 2021, an OFS construction crew helped build Ascendium’s new headquarters. That year, Ascendium invested in OFS’s expansion of pre-apprenticeship training for young adults, creating a new Conservation Academy.
