Council District 4 championed Resolution 35-21, which urged the County of Hawai‘i to establish a Green Jobs Corps program on Hawai'i Island.

This program aimed to address unemployment challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic while promoting economic diversification.

Recognizing the need for a statewide solution, Council Member Ashley Kierkiewicz collaborated with Rep. Sean Quinlan (then Chair of the House Economic Development) to introduce HB 1176. This bill, calling for a statewide Jobs Corps program, was passed by the legislature, secured a $5 million allocation, and was signed into law by Governor David Ige on July 2nd, 2021. KUPU carried out this program through DLNR. Council Member Kierkiewicz is working to identify ways to integrate this workforce development model into other areas of the County and across industries.