Fort Irwin Garrison Commander Col. Jason Clarke and Barstow Community College superintendent-president Dr. Eva Bagg shakes hands. Photo credit: Kimberly Hackbarth / Fort Irwin Public Affairs OfficeBARSTOW – Barstow Community College (BCC) and Ft. Irwin are partnering to provide employment opportunities for the school’s child development and cosmetology students. The college and national training center signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), Jan. 13, to help streamline the process.
“The MOU is to codify our partnership with Barstow Community College in order to build different academic programs that translate into work-related opportunities here at Fort Irwin,” said Fort Irwin Garrison Commander Col. Jason Clarke.
Clarke says the MOU provides an important opportunity for both the Fort Irwin and Barstow communities.
“People who live in Barstow may not understand opportunities here at Fort Irwin and there are people in the [Fort Irwin] community who may not understand how to get better education opportunities and what that really translates into the real world,” said Clarke. “This is an opportunity for our communities to unite together and build that opportunity to show real world application at the college level and the community level.”
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The MOU helps streamline the onboarding process for child youth assistants and barbers in Ft. Irwin.
Working at Ft. Irwin
Barstow Community College Executive Dean of Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development Dr. Crystal Nasio said these opportunities begin in February.
Alumni and students with 24 semester units of education either in child development or early childhood teaching, will be able to apply for jobs at Fort Irwin’s Child Youth Services.
Nasio says students who are active in the course for child development can participate in the course and be paid.
“They’ll be working through our system and registering for a class … so they’ll get credit with us, and they’ll get paid,” said Nasio. “So, you’re taking a class, and you’re getting paid for it.”
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Those interested in working for Child Youth Services still have to meet specific requirements. This includes passing a background check and Live Scan, which runs an applicant’s fingerprints through the Department of Justice.
Also in February, cosmetology students will have the opportunity to participate in supervised mobile salon days at Fort Irwin. Students will cut soldiers’ hair when they are in their regeneration period – a recovery period after rotations.
“The first two [opportunities] are child development and cosmetology, but I think it’s going to be the first of many for us,” said Nasio.
For more information on the programs, email [email protected].
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