Can targeted green workforce development alleviate chronic unemployment and residential displacement in urban communities of color while also addressing environmental injustice? As urban areas around the country continue to expand, land and property prices have risen dramatically, leading to market-driven gentrification and mass displacement of low-income communities of color. Pushed towards amenity-poor neighborhoods on the urban fringe, communities of color have continued to face critical issues of environmental injustice along with high chronic unemployment rates. At the same time, urban greening strategies have taken hold in the amenity-rich core of many cities, including green stormwater management, park and open space development, and floodplain restoration, along with expansion of recycling, composting, energy efficiency, and renewable energy programs. How can targeted investments in job training and workforce development make the opportunities created by the growing green economy accessible to vulnerable urban residents?
Results/Conclusions
The Green Workforce Academy, a pilot program based in Portland, Oregon, has demonstrated that a targeted, culturally responsive workforce development program can attract, motivate, and retain young adults of color, and provide pathways towards careers in environmental stewardship fields. The Academy, developed by a partnership of environmental and culturally specific community-based organizations, combines strong workforce mentoring with clearly defined career pathways, introduction to a wide variety of environmentally oriented industries and occupations, and connections to destination employers, apprenticeships, and continuing education programs. Our results to date demonstrate success in graduating a cohort of young adults with demonstrated knowledge of a range of environmental careers, and with strong interest from environmental groups, public agencies, and foundations.