Green-Collar Job Training after Katrina

NEW ORLEANS – The shape of a national clean energy, good jobs training program for young people is gaining real definition here, where 800 young people are beginning full-time service as part of the Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans, earning real money, educational stipends and preparing for careers in the new green economy while helping rebuild their hurricane and flood-damaged city from the ground up.

“This is the one time that a city actually has the opportunity to be reborn and be better,” said Jim Gordon, program manager for Limitless Vistas, Inc., a nonprofit workforce training and development program. Limitless collaborates with the national Conservation Corps network to train at-risk, inner-city youth for work as certified environmental field technicians. “The school system is being rebuilt, the city is being rebuilt. The question now is how do you make sure this is an inclusive process?”

The New Orleans green-collar training program is an example of both the need and opportunity to train American workers for the myriad jobs that the Apollo Alliance and many labor economists anticipate in the new clean energy economy. Those programs are likely to receive a huge boost this month when President-elect Barack Obama makes public a mammoth economic stimulus proposal — perhaps as large as $700 billion to $1 trillion over two years — to put 2.5 million people back to work. Congressional leaders say that the new president will propose spending $100 billion or more over two years on clean energy development.

In The New Apollo Program, released in September, and in a second proposal made public last month, the Apollo Economic Recovery Act, the Apollo Alliance has called on Congress and the president-elect to spend $250 million annually on green-collar job training, double the amount authorized by Congress in 2007. The Apollo Alliance also has proposed a $50 billion a year program of investments in transit, improving energy efficiency in buildings, weatherizing homes, modernizing the electric grid, and in manufacturing clean energy equipment and next generation vehicles that would create 5 million new jobs. The Apollo Alliance also supports the Green Jobs and Infrastructure Act, a proposal co-sponsored by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown to retool manufacturing plants and train green-collar workers.

In New Orleans, the green-collar training program draws young people without substantial work histories in at the ground floor, giving them the training to start building a career, access to further education, and showing them that they have a valuable role in the community. The New Orleans program embodies the vision of Van Jones, the founder and president of Green For All, and a board member of the Apollo Alliance, who is convinced that training inner city young people to embrace new green-collar jobs will provide what he calls “pathways out of poverty.”

“We’re seeing them develop both a passion for what they are doing and a real stewardship mentality,” said Sally Prouty, president of the Corps Network.

The corps makes a special effort to reach out to young people who have been in the court system, and so far, says Prouty, the effort is paying off. While nationally the recidivism rate for young offenders is between 40 and 80 percent, for corps members it’s slightly less than 9 percent.

“If we only look at keeping our young people free and productive there’s tremendous reason to do this,” said Prouty. “We really believe there will be ever-increasing opportunities in the green economy so that’s where we’re focusing.”

Although classroom time is unpaid, corps members are paid for their labor, up to 25 hours a week, and receive a $1,250 educational stipend upon completion of their service. In the case of those finishing Limitless Vistas’ certification program, starting wages range from $14 to $18 an hour, with room for advancement.

“It’s a lot better than getting a job in fast food,” said Gordon.

As important as the training, he says, is the placement assistance members get. Some are continuing in formal education, others are going straight into the workforce, and yet others are entering labor apprenticeship programs. “The local AFL-CIO has been absolutely super to work with. They are a great partner.”

For more information:
Sally Prouty
President of The Corps Network
Phone: 202-737-6272