Program Details

Conservation/Forestry Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program
https://operationfreshstart.org/
Operation Fresh Start
07/01/2018
OFS CONSERVATION PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO ENTER CAREERS IN CONSERVATION. OFS RECRUITS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DANE COUNTY AGES 16-24, MOST OF WHOM ARE FROM UNDER-REPRESENTED, LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS. LEGACY IS AN 800-900 HOUR PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS TRAIN 32 HOURS PER WEEK. THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME IS SPENT ON CONSERVATION SITES WORKING AND RECEIVING TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN HANDS-ON WORK INCLUDING INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, PLANTING OF NATIVE FLOWERS, GRASSES, SHRUBS AND TREES, TRAIL BUILDING OR MAINTENANCE, PRAIRIE AND FOREST RESTORATION AND WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT. THEY ARE ALSO TRAINED IN JOB SITE SAFETY, SAFE OPERATION AND USE OF HAND AND POWER TOOLS, READING AND INTERPRETATION OF LAND SURVEY MAPS, CONSERVATION/FORESTRY VOCABULARY AND CONSERVATION MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION AND USAGE. THEY ALSO DO OSHA 10 AND FA/CPR. Show More

ALTHOUGH OPERATION FRESH START’S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ALL YOUNG ADULTS A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY THERE WILL BE EXPECTATIONS SET FOR FOLKS PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO PRE-APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAMMING. EACH YOUTH WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE FOR 30 DAYS OF GENERAL OFS PROGRAMMING PRIOR TO ENTERING THE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN TO ATTAIN OR RE-ATTAIN A DRIVERS LICENSE AND BE ON TRACK TO COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ONE AT ENROLLMENT.

This program is offered

No deadline. Applications are accepted year-round. See Operation Fresh Start's website, www.operationfreshstart.org, for application instructions.
DANE COUNTY PARKS AGREES TO PROVIDE OFS INFORMATION ABOUT ARBORIST APPRENTICESHIP AND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP OPENINGS WITH THEM AND OTHER CERTIFIED ARBORIST EMPLOYERS, ASSIST IN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS BY REFERRING UNDER-QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO OFS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAMING, PROVIDE COORDINATED PARTNER TRAINING FOR OUR CONSERVATION CREWS IN CHAINSAW USE, TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES, DEBRIS REMOVAL AND PLANTING TECHNIQUES, ANNUALLY REVIEW OUR PROGRAM DESIGN AND CURRICULUM TO IMPROVE APPRENTICESHIP READINESS, AND DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DANE COUNTY PARKS TO COMMUNICATE WITH OFS CONCERNING SHARED CLIENTELE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT TO HELP WITH RETENTION IN APPRENTICESHIPS AND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP POSITIONS. IN TURN, THROUGH ITS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM, OFS WILL PROVIDE REMEDIAL TRAINING
AN M.O.U. WITH DANE COUNTY PARKS BUILDS UPON OUR PARTNERSHIP AND PROVIDES A MORE FORMAL PIPELINE PARTNERSHIP INTO THE ARBORIST APPRENTICESHIP WITH DANE COUNTY PARKS AND OTHER CONSERVATION COMPANIES.
EACH PARTICIPANT IS ASSIGNED TO A PLACEMENT SPECIALIST WHO WORKS WITH THE YOUNG PERSON TO DEVELOP A CAREER PLAN, LEARN JOB SEARCH SKILLS AND DEVELOP A RESUME. THE PLACEMENT SPECIALIST WORKS WITH THE YOUNG PERSON TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT RELATED TO THE TRAINING, THEN PROVIDES ONE YEAR OF SUPPORTIVE FOLLOW-UP SERVICES TO ENSURE RETENTION.
IN THE CLASSROOM OR CONSERVATION LAB, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN OSHA SAFETY, CONSERVATION/CONSTRUCTION MATH PRINCIPLES AND CALCULATIONS, APPRENTICESHIP APTITUDE TEST STUDY PREPARATION, HAND AND POWER TOOLS IDENTIFICATION, USAGE, AND MAINTENANCE, CONSERVATION MATERIALS IDENTIFICATION AND USAGE. OFS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY PROVIDE TUTORING SERVICES.

Not applicable

Program Enrollments and Completions
120
75
63 (84%)
62 (98%)
Employment Outcomes (Completions Only)
60 (95%)
$9,449
$7,692
53 (84%)
$14,176

PLEASE NOTE:

If there are fewer than eight enrollments in the training program, only the "Enrollments" number will be displayed; all other data is hidden in order to help protect the students' identities. The "Employment Outcomes" are calculated using information from Wisconsin's Unemployment Insurance Wage database. Most employers are required to report certain employment information to the State of Wisconsin, including quarterly wage information for their employees. Students whose information could not be verified in this database are excluded from these outcomes. If a "0" shows for any of these outcomes, it means that none of the students' information could be verified.

MAKING SENSE OF THE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES:

"Average quarterly wages" means the total wages earned in a three-month period by all students who completed the program ("completers"), divided by the total number of completers.

"Median quarterly wages" means all the completers' quarterly wages are placed in order from lowest to highest and then we identify the student's wages in the middle. This information is provided because averages can be greatly influenced by really high and low wage earners.

To estimate monthly wages, divide the quarterly wages by three.


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bmcmahon@operationfreshstart.org

cwood@operationfreshstart.org

bpolak@operationfreshstart.org

kpritchard@operationfreshstart.org

Not Provided

Not Provided

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