Options for Creating a Forestry Management Training Center

Options for a Forestry Management Training Center in Northern California Summary The Supplemental Report of the 2021-22 Budget Act requires our office to develop options for the Legislature to consider for creating a forestry management training center in Northern California. The language further expresses the Legislature’s intent to consider approving the center during the 2022-23 state budget process. This report responds to the supplemental reporting requirement. There are a wide range of forestry management jobs, which are generally focused on maintaining the health of forests and natural landscapes and reducing the risk of severe wildfires. The state supports several programs that provide forestry-related training. Some serve young adults, while others serve formerly incarcerated individuals. Some examples of forestry management jobs include: forestry technicians, Registered Professional Foresters, licensed timber operators, reforestation specialists, certified burn bosses, and environmental compliance professionals. In this report, we discuss two key policy goals the Legislature might want to consider in establishing a new forestry management training center in Northern California—addressing workforce gaps and improving outcomes for targeted populations. As it considers various design options, it will be important for the Legislature to consider the relative importance it places on those goals. We further identify choices to consider when designing a training center, such as which forestry positions to target for training, the location of the center, and design elements that would affect the cost of the facility. Finally, we encourage the Legislature to consider whether other strategies—such as expanding an existing training program or implementing more robust recruitment efforts—could help meet its policy goals. These strategies could be implemented in addition to or instead of establishing a new training center. GABRIEL PETEK | LEGISLATIVE ANALYST JANUARY 2022 AN LAO REPORT INTRODUCTION Report Responds to Supplemental Report and Rehabilitation (CDCR), forestry-related industry Requirement. The Supplemental Report of representatives and professional associations, the 2021-22 Budget Act requires our office other nonprofit organizations, a Resource to consult with the California Department of Conservation District, and a couple other state Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) and other agencies with an interest in forestry training. appropriate stakeholders, including the California We also consulted several community colleges and Conservation Corps (Corps), to develop options for California State University (CSU) campuses that the Legislature to consider for creating a forestry offer forestry programs. management training center in Northern California. Report Includes Four Main Sections. The language further expresses the Legislature’s This report consists of four main sections. intent to consider approving the center during the First, we provide background on key existing 2022-23 state budget process. state-supported forestry-related training programs, Consulted With Various Departments and as well as recent legislation related to forestry Stakeholders. Consistent with the requirements training. Second, we summarize two potential of the supplemental report language, we had policy goals for establishing a forestry management discussions with CalFire and the Corps to help training center. Third, we discuss design choices inform the preparation of this report. Additionally, and options for establishing such a center. Finally, we interviewed various other stakeholders, we identify other strategies that the Legislature including the California Department of Corrections could consider to address its policy goals. BACKGROUND Different Types of Foresters perform activities such as planning for forest thinning projects, as well as identifying and Forestry Management Jobs planning for mitigation of environmental impacts There are a wide range of forestry management related to those projects. It typically takes seven jobs, which are generally focused on maintaining years of education and/or experience, as well as the health of forests and natural landscapes the successful passage of a licensing exam, to and reducing the risk of severe wildfires. Some become a Registered Professional Forester. (For examples of forestry management jobs include: the purposes of this report, we assume that forestry forestry technicians, Registered Professional management jobs do not include firefighting Foresters, licensed timber operators, reforestation positions, which primarily are focused on fire specialists, certified burn bosses, and suppression rather than forestry.) environmental compliance professionals. These positions serve different roles and require varying Current Forestry-Related types and levels of training. For example, forestry Training Programs technicians are entry-level forestry positions. The state supports several programs that provide They perform various activities, including serving on forestry-related training. Some serve young adults, CalFire’s fuels reduction crews. It typically takes six while others serve formerly incarcerated individuals. months of education and/or experience to become (In addition to state-operated programs discussed a forestry technician. In contrast, Registered in this report, there are a few forestry-related Professional Foresters are responsible for managing training programs operated by other entities—such and supervising various types of forestry work, as the private sector and federal government.) including work performed by forestry technicians. 2 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT Conservation Corps Trains Youth for Various certificates, as well as about 2,500 fire and wildland Forestry-Related Positions. The Corps provides fire technology associate degrees and certificates young adults (generally age 18 to 25) one year or annually in recent years. These degree and longer of paid service to work on environmental certificate programs prepare students for entry-level projects and respond to natural disasters. The forestry jobs, among other things. For example, Corps operates out of 26 centers across the Shasta College in Redding offers a program in state, including both residential and nonresidential forest science and technology aimed at training centers. The Corps can accommodate up to about graduates to be forestry technicians and other 1,600 participants—known as corpsmembers— related jobs. Shasta College also offers a heavy at any given time. Corpsmembers come from a equipment logging operations and maintenance variety of backgrounds, including being formerly certificate, which includes training on logging incarcerated in some cases. equipment, such as skidders. In some cases, higher While in the Corps, corpsmembers have the education institutions partner with other entities to opportunity to participate in educational and job provide forestry training opportunities. For example, training programs, though not all centers offer Reedley College (near Fresno) not only offers a every program. The Corps’ primary forestry training two-year degree in forestry, but also is collaborating program is the Forestry Corps program in which with a local conservation corps and workforce corpsmembers gain experience implementing development board on a 20-week program to train forest health and vegetation management projects. young adults for vegetation management positions. They have the opportunity to learn how to operate State Conservation Camps Train Inmate forestry-related equipment (such as chainsaws), Hand Crews. CalFire and CDCR jointly operate and the Corps connects them to degree programs 35 conservation camps in 25 counties across the and jobs upon completion of the program. The state. Inmates in the program live in a conservation Forestry Corps operates from four nonresidential camp rather than in a state prison. Inmates assigned (Chico, Napa-Solano, Pomona, and Inland Empire) to the program perform a mix of firefighting and and two residential (Tahoe and Greenwood) centers forest management-related work. This includes and has capacity for 90 corpsmembers at any given serving on hand crews, which help fight fires by time. The state currently provides about $5.3 million performing tasks such as cutting “fire lines”—gaps annually to support the Forestry Corps. where all fire fuel and vegetation is removed—with Various Higher Education Institutions Provide chain saws and hand tools. They also mitigate Forestry Training. California’s higher education the severity of wildfires by conducting vegetation institutions offer a variety of programs that provide management projects. Inmates must meet certain students with the opportunity to gain the skills conditions to be eligible to be on hand crews, such necessary to secure jobs in forestry. For example, as related to their fitness and the nature of the CSU Humboldt, CSU San Luis Obispo, and the crimes for which they were convicted. University of California at Berkeley offer bachelor’s Conservation camp participants receive roughly degrees in forestry. These programs, which together three weeks of basic training on topics such as grant about 100 bachelor’s degrees per year, wildland fire safety and attack, hand tool use, prepare students for a variety of forestry-related teamwork, and crew expectations. Once assigned positions, such as becoming a Registered to a hand crew, inmates continue to receive training Professional Forester. in things like cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Additionally, eight community colleges offer emergency response, with some progressing to two-year degree and/or certificate programs more responsible positions on the crew, such in forestry, and 55 offer them in fire technology as a chainsaw operator. The experience that or wildland fire technology. (These programs participants gain can serve as qualifying experience sometimes prepare students to be firefighters, for certain forestry-related positions, such as the as well as for forest management-related positions.) state’s forestry technician classification. As of Together, these community colleges have granted December 2021, there were about 1,675 inmates about 100 forestry associate degrees and housed in conservation camps. www.lao.ca.gov 3 AN LAO REPORT Ventura Training Center (VTC) Trains Former Recent Legislation to Inmates. As part of the 2018-19 budget, the state Support Forestry Training funded the conversion of the Ventura conservation Reentry Program Approved to Train Former camp in Camarillo into a new residential center— Inmates in Forestry. Chapter 587 of 2019 called VTC—co-managed by the Corps, CalFire, (AB 1668, Carrillo) authorized the Corps, subject to and CDCR. The program offers a firefighter training appropriation, to establish a program to train former and certification program for parolees so that at the inmates for positions in forestry. To date, no funding end of the 18-month program, participants are fully has been appropriated to implement the law, so the trained firefighters eligible to be hired by firefighting program has not yet been launched. agencies. While the main focus of the program is Legislature Recently Passed Bills Related firefighting, participants perform activities such as to Creating Forestry-Related Training Centers. fuel reduction and reforestation projects when not In 2021, the Legislature passed two bills related fighting fires. The program is designed for parolees to forestry training centers. First, SB 804 (Glazer), because one of the main goals of the center is to which would have established, subject to reduce recidivism. In order to help achieve this goal, appropriation, a forestry training center in Northern the state contracts with a nonprofit organization to California. This center would have prioritized provide participating parolees with life skills training, enrollment of former inmates that participated in the reentry and counseling services, and job placement conservation camp system. The goal of the center assistance. VTC is designed to serve 80 parolees was two-fold: (1) to reduce the risk of destructive at a time. When it first opened in fall 2018, VTC was wildfires by training people for entry-level forestry not at full capacity. However, the eligibility rules for and vegetation management positions and (2) to the center were expanded, and CalFire now reports provide a pathway to employment for formerly that the center is at capacity. The annual operating incarcerated individuals. The analysis of the bill cost for VTC is roughly $6.3 million. prepared by committee staff based on information State Supports Reentry Programs, Including from the Corps estimated it would cost about Related to Forestry. The state supports various $65 million from the General Fund or bond funds programs to provide former inmates with services to construct a residential center (or between upon release from prison with the goal of reducing $20 million and $30 million to renovate an existing recidivism. For example, the Board of State and facility), as well as about $11 million annually from Community Corrections administers the Adult the General Fund to operate a training program at Reentry Grant (ARG) program, which provides the center for about 80 participants. The Governor funding for community-based organizations vetoed the bill citing a desire to consider such a to deliver reentry services for people formerly center through the budget process. incarcerated in state prison. A recent ARG grantee Second, the Legislature passed and the is the Forest and Fire Recruitment program, which Governor signed Chapter 375 of 2021 (AB 642, is a nonprofit organization that provides current Friedman). Among other things, this law requires and former conservation camp participants training the State Fire Marshal, by July 1, 2023, to develop and career support to help them secure jobs a proposal to establish a prescribed fire training in forestry and fire suppression. Currently, the center. This proposal is required to include certain program operates four crews in Southern California, components, such as the identification of potential including in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and funding sources and locations for the establishment Ventura Counties. of a center. 4 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT POTENTIAL GOALS FOR NEW TRAINING CENTER Before it establishes a new forestry management discussions with stakeholders, we heard that there training center, a key first step for the Legislature to are insufficient trained forestry personnel to meet undertake is to identify what its main policy goals the demand in the state. This concern is echoed are for the center. The specific priorities that the in some recent reports that we reviewed, including Legislature chooses and the relative importance it one prepared by the North State Planning and places on each goal could fundamentally change Development Collective at CSU Chico. Additionally, the design of a new training center. In particular, to the extent that the state and/or federal we find that the Legislature would want to consider government accelerate their funding of vegetation the degree to which the purpose of the center is management projects in the coming years to enable to (1) address workforce gaps or (2) assist specific them to meet a jointly agreed to goal of treating target populations. a total of 1 million acres annually, the demand for Addressing Forestry-Related Workforce qualified personnel to help complete projects could Gaps. A workforce gap is when there are increase. This, in turn, could potentially exacerbate insufficient qualified workers available to fill the any existing workforce gaps. open positions. To the extent that significant Improving Outcomes for Targeted workforce gaps exist or are anticipated to emerge in Populations. There also could be a state interest the near future, there is an argument for the state to in improving the employment and other outcomes help address them given the statewide importance for certain targeted participants. If this was the of reducing the risk of destructive wildfires. This primary goal of the new center, it could affect is because destructive wildfires can impose a the design of the program, including not only the variety of negative impacts on the state, including eligible participants, but also the size, location, and threatening lives and property, worsening air training curriculum. For example, if the Legislature’s quality, destroying natural resources, and resulting priority was for the center to serve the formerly in significant state costs associated with wildfire incarcerated—similar to VTC—it could provide suppression and recovery. If addressing workforce potential employment benefits for participants, gaps is a primary goal of the program, it could which could contribute to the state’s goal of affect the design of the program in important ways, reducing recidivism. Improving employment and such as the type of positions for which the center recidivism outcomes could, in turn, result in direct trains, the location of the center, and the size of and indirect fiscal benefits to the state, which could the center. offset some or all of the costs of the program. As we discuss in more detail later in this These potential fiscal benefits include reduced report, we were only able to find limited data on incarceration, crime victim assistance, and public forestry-related workforce gaps. However, in our assistance costs. DESIGN CHOICES AND OPTIONS FOR A TRAINING CENTER Key Design Choices for these design choices if it elects to establish a new center. (We also discuss alternative strategies for Creating Training Center addressing the Legislature’s policy goals later in this There are a variety of choices regarding how report.) As we discuss below, within each category to design a forestry management training center. of choices, the Legislature faces various decisions, The Legislature will want to address each one of which would depend in part on the relative weight it www.lao.ca.gov 5 AN LAO REPORT assigns to the potential policy goals for the center. a specific population. However, if a main goal of Notably, decisions about some design choices the center is to improve participant outcomes for could impact decisions on other choices. a specific population, such as at-risk youth or Forestry Positions to Target for Training. parolees, then it would make sense to prioritize A key choice when establishing a training center eligibility to those specific individuals. We also note is which forestry-related positions to target for if the Legislature wanted to address both goals, it training. If a main goal of the center is to address could consider making the training center open to workforce gaps, it would be important to consider the general population, but providing the population which positions are in greatest need by employers, of interest with additional support, such as as well as the extent to which existing training counseling services or job placement assistance. programs already target those positions. Jobs with As described above, the state currently operates high vacancy rates and/or relatively few training a number of forestry-training programs targeted to programs available could potentially benefit specific populations. Information on the outcomes from the creation of a new forestry management of these programs could help inform the Legislature training center. about whether modeling a new center after these In our review, we found only limited information programs would be effective. Unfortunately, on the specific positions with unmet needs. there is limited information on how effective these For example, we found a regional analysis for programs are at improving participant outcomes. the Central Valley that identified that there is For example, in April 2021, the Corps released an undersupply of 1,400 fire management and the first of recently required annual reports on forestry workers in the region. However, we the outcomes of its programs for young adults. did not find statewide information. Importantly, However, it is difficult to draw conclusions about additional information on workforce needs may the effectiveness of the program from the report for be forthcoming. For example, the Governor’s a few reasons. First, it is based on only data from Forest Management Task Force’s Wildfire and one cohort of corpsmembers. Second, the report Forest Resilience Action Plan tasks CalFire with does not compare participants in Corps programs quantifying the current and projected unmet needs with similar youth who did not participate. So, it is for forestry-related workers by job type and location difficult to gauge how much the Corps improved to inform the state’s investments in training and the outcomes for youth that participated. Third, vocational programs. At the time our report was the report does not break out information on the prepared, CalFire reported that it was nearing the Forestry Corps program, specifically. Thus, it is completion of the study. unclear whether the outcomes of that program differ from the outcomes of other Corps programs. Alternatively, if the main goal of the center is to improve outcomes for a targeted population, that The information on the outcomes of participants could also affect the positions to target for training. in VTC is promising thus far, showing that most For example, the formerly incarcerated are less graduates appear to secure employment upon likely to have the educational background required completion of the program and have a low rate of for some positions, such as Registered Professional recidivism. However, the center has only been in Foresters. Therefore, it likely would not make sense operation a couple of years, initial enrollment was to focus the program on training those positions. low, and the current data has not been compared to a statistically relevant comparison group. Therefore, Intended Participant Population. Another key it would be premature to draw conclusions about choice when establishing a forestry management the effectiveness of the program based on this training center is identifying the group to target information. According to CDCR, VTC’s nonprofit for training, whether the general population or a contractor is expected to provide reports on the specific population of interest. If the primary goal program starting no sooner than 2023. These of the training center is to meet workforce needs, it reports are anticipated to include information on could make sense for the center to be open to the the number of parolees that have graduated from general population rather than restricted to training 6 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT VTC and are employed by fire agencies, along • Repurposing a Vacated Facility. An existing with their recidivism rates, as compared to overall but vacated facility could be modified and post-incarceration recidivism rates. When available, repurposed to create a center. For example, these reports could provide worthwhile data on the in our conversations with departments, we program’s effectiveness. heard about a few examples of sites that Residential or Nonresidential Facility. could be considered, such as a site in San Another important choice is whether the center Mateo County that previously housed low-risk will be residential or nonresidential. A residential county offenders and a utility district site in center likely would be more expensive because it the East Bay. would require one-time costs for the construction • Use a Portion of an Existing Facility or Site. of a larger facility that includes housing and For example, the center could be co-located related amenities, as well as additional annual at an existing facility—such as at an existing costs associated with operating and maintaining community college—which could mean those facilities. For example, the Corps reports relatively modest construction work would that the operating costs for its residential be needed. centers can be just over twice the costs for its There are trade-offs associated with each nonresidential centers. of these potential choices. Building an entirely While a residential facility would be more new facility likely would be the most expensive expensive, it could have advantages in certain choice—potentially several tens of millions of dollars cases, such as if the center were to be located in construction funding—and require at least a in an area that has few local housing options— few years to plan and construct. For example, in such as in rural areas—or if housing would recent years, there have been several proposals be prohibitively expensive for participants. A to construct new Corps residential centers with residential training program also might make a couple of estimated project costs exceeding sense if it was designed to serve populations that $40 million. While expensive, this choice would might otherwise lack access to stable housing provide the greatest flexibility regarding the design and supportive services, such as parolees or and location of the center. at-risk youth. In theory, providing a residential Repurposing and renovating a vacated facility program could provide enhanced programs for likely would cost less than building a new facility participants, which potentially could translate because it could utilize some of the existing into improved outcomes. However, the extent to buildings and infrastructure. However, it would rely which this is the case in practice is not clear. For on finding a vacated site in a suitable location, and example, the April 2021 Corps report provided the project would still likely take a few years and information on the short-term outcomes for one potentially cost in the low tens of millions of dollars cohort of participants in the department’s existing to construct. For example, creation of VTC involved residential and nonresidential centers. This report the renovation of a vacated conservation camp did not provide clear evidence that the outcomes facility and cost roughly $19 million to complete. of its residential centers are better than those of its Using a portion of an existing facility has the nonresidential centers. potential to be the least expensive and fastest Build New or Utilize Existing Sites and option of the three approaches, particularly if the Facilities. It also is important to consider how the facility does not require substantial modifications center should be constructed. Some options that or improvements. However, using a portion of an the Legislature could consider include: existing facility would limit the potential locations • Building an Entirely New Facility. A facility of the center and its capacity (unless the existing could be built from the ground up on an facility was expanded). undeveloped parcel. www.lao.ca.gov 7 AN LAO REPORT Location for Training Center. Another key are expected to be able to secure positions choice is where geographically to locate the center in the forestry field. within Northern California. As the Legislature • Number of Eligible Participants. considers potential geographic locations for a For example, if the center were limited to center, some key things to keep in mind include: former conservation camp participants or • Proximity to Treatable Landscapes. There other parolees, the potential number of are advantages to locating the center close participants would be more limited than if the to forests or other vegetation types that center is open to the general population. As can provide hands-on training and work evidenced by the initial challenges filling VTC opportunities for participants. to capacity, not all parolees would necessarily be interested in participating in and/or eligible • Ability of Location to Attract Sufficient to participate in a training center depending Participants. Some locations—such as those on the requirements that are established. near major population centers—might be have access to more people from which to recruit. • Cost Considerations. It also is important to consider the size that can be managed • Availability and Cost of Appropriate cost-effectively. For example, there could be Sites. As discussed above, particularly if the some fixed costs associated with running a Legislature would like to consider repurposing center—particularly if it were to be a residential a vacated site or co-locating the center at an center—so there may be a minimum size existing facility, the availability of appropriate below which the per-participant cost would sites and facilities might place some be prohibitive. For reference, according to the limitations on the geographic location of the Corps, 80 students is the ideal size for the center. Additionally, some sites could be more department to manage as a residential center. expensive to acquire than others depending However, other cohort sizes could make sense on factors such as nearby land values. under other models, such as in collaboration There are likely to be trade-offs among these with a community college or other higher characteristics. For example, forested areas can education institution. provide important opportunities for students to Duration of Program. It also is important to learn key forestry skills. However, many forested consider the length of the program offered at the areas are remote, which could make it harder for center—which could potentially range from a few them to attract participants. Attracting participants months to one year or more. The optimal length of could be a more significant consideration if the the program would depend in part on the positions center is limited to a relatively narrow population— for which the center is providing training. This is such as parolees that previously served in a because some types of forestry-related positions— conservation camp—than if it were designed to such as Registered Professional Foresters—require serve a broader population. significantly more training than others, such as Size of Center. Another choice for the forestry technicians. Legislature to keep in mind is the size of the center. The ideal length of the program would also When determining the size of the center, some key depend on the existing background of the factors to consider include: participants. For example, former participants • Size of Workforce Needs. The center should in the inmate conservation camps have already be sized based in part on the size of the received some basic training and have experience workforce needs, including by state, federal, serving on hand crews. Depending on the length of local, and private employers. As we discuss time they have served in the conservation camps, above, there is only limited data regarding the these individuals might need only a small amount size of these needs. It would be important, of additional training and/or experience to qualify for example, to make sure that the training for entry level forestry positions, such as the state’s center does not produce more trainees than forestry technician classification. 8 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT Notably, all else equal, longer programs generally Which State Entity Manages Center. It also is are more costly to provide on a per-student basis important to consider which entities should have a than shorter programs. Additionally, they require role in managing the center. The entities involved more significant time commitments on the part of would depend in part on the other decisions that participants. Accordingly, it would be important to the Legislature makes about how to design the make sure that the program is designed to give the center. For example, if the Legislature chooses necessary training, but without requiring students to co-locate the center at a community college, it to participate in a longer program than is required to would likely make sense for the college to manage meet their career goals. the center (potentially in collaboration with other How Center Would Be Funded. Another choice relevant entities, such as CalFire). If, however, for the Legislature is how to fund the center. Several the Legislature chooses to build a stand-alone different options include (1) the state General residential center, it could make sense for the Corps Fund (with construction costs either directly to have a key role given its experience managing funded or through bonds), (2) reimbursements for similar residential centers. In this case, the Corps forestry-related work completed by participants could collaborate with CalFire and, if the center while they are in the program, (3) tuition or fees were to serve parolees, CDCR. charged to participants, (4) grants or donations, Implement as a Pilot or Permanent Center. and/or (5) matching funds from other governmental Another choice is whether the Legislature wants to agencies or partners that might hire the participants create the center on a pilot basis or on a permanent following completion. basis. Creating the center on a pilot basis would The funding model that makes the most sense provide a chance to try and evaluate approach(es) likely would depend in part on the Legislature’s before committing to creating a new center on a other decisions about how to design the center. permanent basis. This could be valuable given For example, if the center were designed as a the limited information available around workforce partnership with a community college, the capital gaps and the effectiveness of existing programs to costs for facility improvements could potentially guide decision-making. However, a downside to be matched by local bond funds if local residents undertaking a pilot would be that it could be difficult saw the benefits of locating such a center in their to do for approaches that have large capital or other community. Additionally, under that model, most start-up costs. Thus, a pilot would likely make more or all of the operating costs could be funded from sense as an option to consider for a program that the college’s existing funding sources, known as would be co-located at an existing facility rather apportionments. (Apportionments come from a than one that would require building a new facility combination of state General Fund [Proposition 98], or making substantial capital improvements to an local property taxes, and enrollment fee revenue.) existing one. Also, if students were to perform work How Soon Should Program Be Approved and for nonstate entities while at the center, a Operational. A final design choice is the amount reimbursement model could be considered to help of time before the center is launched, which would fund the center’s ongoing operations. In addition, depend on a couple of factors. First, it could if participants were anticipated to help address depend upon when the Legislature approves the nonstate (private sector, local, or federal) workforce creation of the center. A rationale for approving the needs, it could be appropriate for prospective center as soon as possible could be to accelerate employers to partner in funding the center since the number of forestry professionals that could they could benefit from the program’s success. be trained and available to fill workforce gaps (Prospective employers in some other fields— and meet the state’s forestry and fire protection such as information technology and healthcare— needs. However, the state might want to wait until sometimes support training programs.) additional information is available to help inform decisions regarding how to structure the center. Specifically, it would be helpful to have (1) CalFire’s www.lao.ca.gov 9 AN LAO REPORT forthcoming quantification of forestry workforce sense is to create the center in partnership with needs and (2) additional information on outcomes a community college or other higher education from VTC. Information from VTC would be institution that has existing experience providing particularly valuable if the Legislature is considering similar training programs. This option could utilize— serving a formerly incarcerated population and potentially expand—the existing facilities at the similar to VTC. campus to provide additional hands-on training that Second, it would depend on how long it takes could result in the award of additional certifications from legislative approval until the center can be or degrees. The Legislature could determine operational. This would depend in part on the what specific roles and responsibilities to give to Legislature’s decisions regarding how to design the center and what level of additional financial the center. For example, a program that requires resources to provide it, depending on factors such new facilities could take several years to get off as the number of students the Legislature wants the the ground, whereas a program that uses existing center to serve and whether the state would like to facilities with few modifications could be launched offset some or all of the tuition or materials costs more quickly. that participants would otherwise incur. Alternatively, if the primary goal is to assist a Options for Designing targeted group such as former inmates at risk New Training Center to recidivate, it could make sense to consider As described above, the Legislature would other hypothetical options, such as creating a have many choices to make—including which new residential center that could provide housing workforce gap to target, eligible participants, stability for and services to participants. Notably, size, and location—if it decided to establish a new the various options would likely come with training center. Given the number of combinations trade-offs, including different costs. For reference, of choices, the Legislature has dozens of potential the state funds community college instructional design options it could consider. For example, if programs at a rate of roughly $6,000 per full-time the Legislature’s main goal is to meet a workforce equivalent student, which is significantly less than need, one hypothetical option that could make the roughly $70,000 required to support each new residential corpsmember. OTHER STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING GOALS As required the by the supplemental report existing programs to the extent that the state has language, we discuss options for creating a new such programs and they are considered to be training center above. However, our research and cost-effective. For example, if the Legislature’s discussions with stakeholders suggest that there main goal is to meet workforce gaps, there are might be other strategies the Legislature could a number of existing programs that provide employ to address its policy goals, including forestry-related training that could be expanded. (1) expansion of existing programs rather than As discussed earlier, there are a number of existing creating a new program, (2) implementation of forestry-related programs at the state’s community other strategies to address workforce gaps, colleges, and these programs are relatively and (3) implementation of other evidence-based affordable for the state to provide (roughly $6,000 recidivism reduction programs. per year per student). We note that community Expand Existing Programs. Whether it makes colleges currently are serving significantly fewer sense to expand an existing program would depend students than they are being funded for and have on factors such as the Legislature’s goals and significant discretion in deciding which instructional available information on the effectiveness of existing programs to grow. programs. Generally, it could make sense to expand 10 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT Similarly, if the Legislature’s primary goal is determined that current pay scales are a primary addressing the employment or other needs of barrier to attracting and retaining forestry staff, specific populations, it could make sense to expand the state could explore changing certain state one of the existing programs targeted towards job classifications to expand eligibility or increase those groups, such as the Corps or VTC. However, pay scales to make the jobs more attractive. (For as discussed earlier in this report, the state does example, CalFire and the California Department of not have clear data on the effectiveness of those Human Resources currently are funded to study programs, making it difficult to know whether the possible creation of a new classification to staff expansion would be a cost-effective strategy. In the state-staffed hand crews instead of Fire Fighter I’s.) coming years, existing reporting requirements could To the extent that future workforce studies do not provide such information. identify the main barriers to attracting and retaining Alternatively, to the extent that the state lacks an sufficient practitioners, this could be a topic that existing program that addresses the Legislature’s would benefit from further analysis. goals, or the existing programs are found to be Implement Other Evidence-Based Recidivism ineffective, that could argue for the creation of Reduction Programs. If the Legislature’s main goal a new program. for a center is to reduce recidivism, it could instead Implement Strategies to Address Other consider implementing other, non-forestry-related Causes of Workforce Gaps. It is unclear based on programs that have been shown to accomplish available information if a lack of training capacity this goal cost-effectively, including some programs is a primary cause of the state’s forestry workforce that are employment-related. (We discuss the gaps. Therefore, if the Legislature’s goal is to evidence for various types of recidivism reduction expand the forestry workforce, it might want to programs in our 2017 report Improving In-Prison consider other workforce development strategies Rehabilitation Programs.) Notably, while in addition to establishing a training center. The preliminary data from VTC is generally positive, it optimal mix of strategies likely depends on the is an expensive program, costing over $100,000 main barriers that exist to attracting and retaining per participant in the 18-month program. Thus, sufficient forestry management practitioners, it could be more cost-effective for the state to which could be informed by information from future dedicate funding to other, less expensive programs workforce studies currently under development. aimed at reducing recidivism rather than creating For example, to the extent that it is determined a residential training center like VTC. Dedicating that there are not enough students applying to funding to the most cost-effective programs is existing forestry training programs, the state could important because it would allow the state to serve support expanded recruitment efforts for these a greater number of individuals with the same programs. Alternatively, to the extent that it can be amount of funding. CONCLUSION In this report, we have identified two main the targeted workforce gaps, participants, size, and potential goals for establishing a new forestry location of the center—as well as its construction management training center—addressing workforce and operational costs and how it would be funded. gaps and improving outcomes for targeted Additionally, we encourage the Legislature to populations. It will be important for the Legislature consider whether other strategies—such as to consider the relative importance it places on expanding an existing training program—could those goals as it considers the various options for meet its goals, either in addition to or instead of designing a center. In particular, determination of its establishing a new training center. goals should influence key design choices—such as www.lao.ca.gov 11 AN LAO REPORT LAO PUBLICATIONS This report was prepared by Helen Kerstein, and reviewed by Brian Brown and Anthony Simbol. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is a nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature. To request publications call (916) 445-4656. This report and others, as well as an e-mail subscription service, are available on the LAO’s website at www.lao.ca.gov. The LAO is located at 925 L Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento, California 95814. 12 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE