PRESS RELEASE

Today, The City of Long Beach and Mayor Rex Richardson hosted the official kick-off of the Long Beach Public Service Corps, an innovative paid fellowship program that will provide local college students and recent graduates with hands-on experience working in City government and exploring careers in public service.

The inaugural cohort of 48 fellows, representing some of the best and brightest college seniors and graduates from Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Long Beach City College, began their first day of service, reporting to their assigned worksites, which include placements throughout a diverse array of City departments including the Office of the City Manager, Health Department, Technology and Innovation, Economic Development, Community Development, the Police Department, and across all nine City Council Offices and the Mayor’s Office.  

During his State of the City address on January 9, 2024, Mayor Richardson spotlighted members of the first class of the Long Beach Public Service Corps.  

“Public service is a gift that we should share with future generations,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “The Long Beach Public Service Corps embodies our commitment to providing local students and residents with greater access to long-term employment with the City of Long Beach, and the healthcare benefits, secure retirement, and economic stability these jobs afford. Who better to serve the City of Long Beach than our own homegrown talent – the students who are being educated at our local world class educational institutions.” 

Over the coming months, fellows will participate in a series of professional development workshops, trainings, and site visits that will help them learn about the many functions of the City, develop essential skills and competencies, and network with City leaders and staff. The fellows will also be assigned to work on substantive City projects and initiatives that align with their interests and career goals, as well as the City’s strategic priorities and needs. 

The Long Beach Public Service Corps is a partnership between the City’s Economic Development Department’s Workforce Development Bureau, operating as Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network (Pacific Gateway), and California Volunteers, the state office that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Californians engaged in service and volunteerism. 

“We are proud to support the Long Beach Public Service Corps, a program exemplifying Governor Gavin Newsom’s vision of empowering Californians to take action in their communities to address the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Josh Fryday, California Chief Service Officer. “We commend Mayor Richardson and the City of Long Beach for their leadership and innovation in developing this model program and we look forward to seeing the positive impact these fellows and future leaders will have on their city and state.” 

“We are excited to partner with the Mayor’s Office and California Volunteers to launch the Long Beach Public Service Corps, a program that will offer local college students the opportunity to work in City government and explore careers in public service,” said Alisa Muñoz, Acting Executive Director of the city’s Workforce Development Board. “This program closely aligns with our mission of creating economic opportunities for workers across our region. We look forward to working with these talented fellows and supporting their professional growth and development.” 

Aligning with Mayor Richardson’s priority to establish a Public Service Pathways Program as discussed during his first 100-days in office and at the 2023 State of the City, the City Manager proposed a one-time allocation of $300,000 in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) budget which was approved by the full City Council on Sept. 5, 2023. This one-time funding to the Economic Development Department’s Workforce Development Bureau, operating as Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network (Pacific Gateway), supports the design and implementation of the Long Beach Public Service Corps. 

For more information about the Long Beach Public Service Corps, community members and students can contact Workforce Officer Eli Romero at eli.romero@pacific-gateway.org.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.