Along with provisions for green building, affordable housing, infrastructure investment, and energy efficiency measures, the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (read our coverage here) encouraged development of training programs to build a skilled labor pool for the burgeoning green economy. The bill specifically allocated funding for the development of such training through the U.S. Department of Labor-directed Job Corps program, which recently launched training components in green construction.
Established in 1964, Job Corps operates workforce training for at-risk youth ages 16 through 24, helping them earn a high school diploma or GED while teaching them the technical and social skill sets necessary for a successful career in a variety of trades and industries, including construction. Employers that partner with Job Corps have access to skilled interns and knowledgeable entry-level employees. Job Corps delivers its programs through its 123 nationwide training centers.
Job Corps’ initial efforts in green training have focused on the three industries that have the greatest economic growth potential and the highest level of student participation: automotive, advanced manufacturing, and construction. “The primary goal of the green training is to connect Job Corps youth to the green economy,” says Lynn Intrepidi, Job Corps’ director. “We’re incorporating the green technology training, helping to create a green culture at all our training sites, and hoping to promote environmental stewardship among our students.”
According to Intrepidi, construction accounts for the largest portion of Job Corps’ career technical training. “It’s at 113 Job Corps centers,” she says, “and it’s one of the biggest sectors in the growing green economy.”
Job Corps provides two construction pathways: The National Training Contractors (NTCs—organized labor) and center-operated construction training programs. The National Training Contractors has incorporated green technologies into their programs, including curriculum upgrades for green technology integration, program expansions or additions to teach new green technology, instructor green training and certification, upgrades in equipment, tools, and supplies for green technology integration.
In retooling its center-operated construction training programs to emphasize energy- and resource-efficient practices, methods, and technologies, Job Corps has adopted an established program developed by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) called “Your Role in the Green Environment.”
Students who complete the training will have earned NCCER credentials, but they will also depart with “skills that are quickly becoming in demand,” says Intrepidi, and with “a certification that is portable and will allow them to launch their careers.” Completing Job Corps’ green construction training program will give students an advantage with employers seeking such skills.
Job Corps currently offers training in carpentry, electrical, bricklaying, cement masonry, plastering, and facilities maintenance and is exploring the potential of new programs in retrofitting, residential air sealing, solar energy systems and installation, and weatherization.
For more information on Job Corps’ training programs, student eligibility, and employer partnerships, visit www.jobcorps.gov or call 800.733.5627.
