In July, a small group of CTE Foundation staff participated in a mini “road show” to celebrate the Sonoma Corps program and present each of the successful graduates with scholarship checks.

Ten graduates of the program are receiving a total of $50,000 in scholarship funding for completing the pilot work readiness program which includes a “gap year” internship following high school. The program is designed to improve student outcomes in postsecondary education, develop employer-valued skills and aptitudes that contribute to career success, and create a skilled workforce pipeline for the industries that drive our local economy.

Launched in 2019, CTE Foundation recruited 15 Piner High School students entering their senior year to participate in the Sonoma Corps pilot. Eight program participants successfully navigated their gap-year internships, building technical and soft skills and exploring technical career opportunities in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and skilled trades that pay a living wage.

Two additional participants who were unable to secure internships due to the pandemic earned scholarships by maintaining full-time enrollment at SRJC and engaging in career coaching and one-on-one counseling to build on work-readiness skills developed in part-time jobs.