From Farmwork to Opportunity

For one former Kern County farmworker, receiving a voucher for work shoes became more than simply help with a job-related expense. Wearing those shoes at work helped her feel that she belonged in a new environment that had once seemed out of reach. “My self-esteem has completely changed thanks to [this program]. I now have a job with benefits that will give me retirement, and there are more opportunities and ways to move up. This is where I belong,” she said. That example captures a central lesson from the California Farmworkers Advancement Program (FAP): The pathway to economic mobility is built not only through training and job placement but also through the financial supports and trusted relationships that make participation possible.

Both the Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC) and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Consortium Workforce Development Area-Kern County Employers’ Training Resource (ETR) are supported by the FAP, a first-of-its-kind population-specific investment launched by the state’s Employment Development Department to support economic mobility for farmworkers and their families. CVOC and ETR have decades of experience serving farmworkers in the Central Valley region and know how critically important financial supports and trusted relationships are in helping FAP participants successfully transition from farmwork into new careers.

To date, 20 FAP awardees, including community-based organizations, workforce development boards, and educational institutions, have received a total of approximately $25 million in governor’s discretionary funds under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Jobs for the Future supports FAP operators as the technical assistance and developmental evaluation provider, helping organizations implement effective programs and share strategies with peers across California.