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The New Jersey/New York Environmental Worker Training Consortium has been funded since 1995 by the National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIEHS) to provide training to young people of color (ages 18-25 for men and 18-30 for women) in environmental remediation, basic construction and life skills.
Upon completion, students are able to conduct several types of environmental work which include: hazardous materials handling and remediation; asbestos abatement; lead paint abatement, confined space entry; and environmental site sampling or characterization. The young adults in the program also receive basic construction skills training, which would allow the graduates of the program to work in the construction industry and join whatever trade union interests them, such as the Carpenters, Laborers, and Dockbuilders unions. In addition to worker training, the program provides literacy, math and life skills counseling.
The Program, now entering its third year, is managed by a unique consortium of organizations which combine technical, outreach, educational and community advocacy skills. The consortium includes: West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT), El Puente, Magnolia Tree Earth Center, the South Bronx Clean Air Coalition, the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, the New York District Council of Carpenters, and the Hunter College Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. An expert team of professionals provide extensive training that meets all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements on the previously mentioned areas of training, and also includes Hazardous Waste Sites and Emergency Response Operations. Participating community-based organizations provide additional training and program support services.
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