13 What if National Service Jump Started the West Coast Workforce? With Nicole Trimble
What if service wasn’t just about giving back—but about moving forward?
Nicole Trimble has spent decades championing national service and workforce development—from helping launch AmeriCorps in the 1990s to reshaping how companies invest in their frontline employees. In this conversation, she makes a bold case for why the West Coast needs to double down on national service—not just as a patriotic duty, but as a jobs pipeline, a civic renewal strategy, and an antidote to polarization.
Nicole Trimble has spent decades championing national service and workforce development—from helping launch AmeriCorps in the 1990s to reshaping how companies invest in their frontline employees. In this conversation, she makes a bold case for why the West Coast needs to double down on national service—not just as a patriotic duty, but as a jobs pipeline, a civic renewal strategy, and an antidote to polarization.
Key Takeaways
- Why the recent cuts to AmeriCorps and national service programs could have devastating ripple effects
- How community colleges and DEI initiatives are undercut by short-sighted federal rollbacks
- What the West Coast can do to build inclusive, locally-driven workforce systems
- Whether universal service could repair our frayed national identity
Guest Bio: Nicole Trimble is a national service alum, former Gates Foundation program officer, and social impact executive with deep expertise in workforce equity and corporate responsibility. She chaired Washington’s Commission for National and Community Service under two governors and currently advises companies and nonprofits on talent, inclusion, and purpose-driven strategy.
Resources:
- Nicole Trimble/LinkedIn
- Bill Clinton: National Service Address (Rutgers University, March 1993)
- AmeriCorps ROI
Related Episodes:
- Ep 01: Reclaiming Democracy: The Case for West Coast Independence (Solo)
- Ep 06: What if the West Coast Designed Healthcare from Scratch? (With Mike Hanlon)
- Ep 10: What if Blue Cities on the West Coast Got It Together? (With Sandeep Kaushik)
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