Oakland Public Works Training Academy

The Academy is a 6-month paid training opportunity for young adults living in Oakland who want to prepare for a career in public service with Oakland Public Works.

Apply Now

We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Academy! Use the links below to learn more about each of our three training opportunities and apply.

We encourage you to apply by October 20th.

Plan to spend two to three hours completing the application. Be sure to fill out the "Questions" section where you can describe any experience that relates to the position you are applying for (Custodian, Office Assistant, or Park Attendant).

Program Goals

The Oakland Public Works (OPW) Training Academy helps young adults in Oakland, ages 18–30, get job training and skills to find and keep a job. This program has two main goals:

  • Fill open jobs at OPW to improve city services.
  • Help young adults get training and support to build lasting careers.

The program focuses on helping Black and Latinx young adults from East Oakland, Fruitvale, and West Oakland—especially those living in zip codes 94621, 94603, 94605, 94601, and 94607. These areas have fewer job opportunities. The program welcomes people who face extra challenges, including those who:

  • Are out of work or not in school
  • Are leaving foster care
  • Have been involved in the justice system
  • Have struggled with mental health or substance use
  • Come from low-income families

The program aims to:

  • Show trainees the kinds of jobs available at Oakland Public Works
  • Teach important social, safety, and life skills to help them work well alone or in teams
  • Teach skills that will help them get hired for jobs with the City, like how to write a resume and do well in interviews
  • Place trainees in a full-time job for 6 months so they can learn by doing real work
  • Hire Oakland residents to fill job openings, helping both the workers and the community 

Program Details

Each academy group has space for up to 10 trainees, who earn competitive pay. Trainees work in one of three OPW Bureaus based on their interests, experience, and past training. Here’s what each Bureau does:

  • Bureau of Environment (BOE)

    Takes care of parks, trees, public spaces, street cleaning, illegal dumping, and manages the City’s curbside trash pick up and recycling contracts. They also manage volunteer clean-up programs like Adopt-A-Spot.

  • Bureau of Maintenance & Internal Services (BMIS)

    Fixes and maintains City buildings, sewers, storm drains, streets, and city vehicles. They also handle cleaning services for City facilities.

  • Bureau of Administration (BOA) 

    Manages the Public Works budget, hiring, safety programs, training, technology, and reports about the Department’s work.

Program Partners and Funding

The OPW Training Academy is funded by a grant from California Volunteers – Office of the Governor. In 2022, Oakland received $5.9 million for its Oakland Forward program, which helps young people get jobs in public service, climate work, and public safety.

The grant was secured by the City’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWD) and supports programs in three city departments:

  • Oakland Public Works (OPW)
  • Department of Violence Prevention (DVP)
  • Oakland Police Department (OPD)

The program started in summer 2022. 

 

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