Alternatives to Military Service

Other than the Military:

Alameda County Health Pipeline Partnership

Paid internships and training in health care jobs. Academic tutoring and one-on-one mentoring. 

http://www.acphd.org/pipeline.aspx 

AmeriCorps

Young adults earn money while they engage in service work and receive training. Positions available around the country.

http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/

Berkeley Youth Alternatives

Provides support for young adults who are “at-risk” (homeless, foster care, and similar hardships) to learn job skills and get paid job experience.

http://www.byaonline.org/programs/

Building and Construction Trades Council of Alameda County

Building Trades Apprenticeships prepare women and men for careers in construction by integrating on-the-job training with classroom instruction.

http://www.btcalameda.org/apprenticeship-programs/

CalApprenticeship.org

In this union-sponsored building trades apprenticeship program, men and women can become skilled in a trade, and get paid to do it - "Earn While You Learn!"

http://www.calapprenticeship.org/

California Conservation Corps

Paid internships working outside to repair state parks, fight fires, and provide other important services. (Includes housing, meals, and medical care.)

http://www.ccc.ca.gov/

California Employment Development Department

The website has many useful links to job training programs, internships, & job placement.

http://www.edd.ca.gov/jobs.htm

Civicorps

Paid internships in the East Bay for high school graduates in parks, recycling programs, construction, etc.

http://www.cvcorps.org/

Hack the Hood

Under-resourced youth of color are introduced to careers in tech by hiring and training them to build websites for small businesses.

http://www.hackthehood.org/

Job Corps

Nationwide program that places high school graduates in paid training and service programs.

https://www.jobcorps.gov/

OaklandPre-Apprenticeship Program

Cypress Mandela Training Center offers a free, sixteen-week Pre-Apprenticeship program for Bay Area men and women over 18 years old.

http://cypressmandela.org/

Opportunity Build, Climate Careers

Opportunity Build is a 12-month construction training program in Oakland. Youth gain skills so they can enter an apprenticeship program or get a job.  Climate Careers trains and employs youth in the "green economy."

https://risingsunopp.org/

Richmond Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Richmond BUILD Academy participants complete the core Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship track before choosing

specialty training.

http://ci.richmond.ca.US/1243/richmondBUILD/

Tradeswomen, Inc.

Tradeswomen, Inc. is a grassroots support organization for women who are interested in working in the skilled trades.  They provide pre-apprenticeship classes for women and support in getting into an apprenticeship program.  

http://tradeswomen.org/

Treasure Island Job Corp

Provides paid job training in a variety of occupations. Includes housing, meals, medical care, and a paid stipend.

https://treasureisland.jobcorps.gov/

Year Up

A full-time, year-long national workforce training program for economically-disadvantaged young adults between 18 and 24 that focuses on jobs in high demand, namely information technology (IT) and financial services. The program seeks to enroll young adults who have a high school diploma or equivalent but are not in school.

https://www.yearup.org/

YEP—Youth Employment Training Program

Paid internships and training programs, such as home construction, for low income young adults.

http://www.yep.org/

Updated 2/5/2021

Federal Student Aid

From the U.S. Department of Education, this site offers a wealth of resources including checklists, an explanation of types of aid and who receives it, and application forms. 

StudentAid.gov

BigFuture

Offers tools to estimate the cost of college, how to apply for financial aid, tips for parents, and advice on where to start if you are overwhelmed.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college 

Strategies to Help Pay for College

A list of 13 tips to plan for and pay for higher education. 

https://studentloanhero.com/featured/how-to-pay-for-college-strategies-help-you/ 

College Greenlight

Intended for both first-generation and low-income students, you can create a free profile here, and gain access to a searchable database of more than $11 billion worth of scholarships. 

https://www.collegegreenlight.com/

UStrive

An online mentoring platform that pairs students with a mentor who can answer questions about the college application process and scholarships. The organization says  89 percent of its users go on to attend college without taking on student loan debt. 

https://www.ustrive.com/ 

Student Success Agency

Their mission is to provide first-time college students with help navigating how to pay for higher education. SSA says 90 percent of teens it serves get scholarships.

https://studentsuccess.co/teens/