The Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grant was recently given by the EPA to Florida State College in Jacksonville to help foster environmental training programs to underprivileged students.

The grant was established in 1999 as a recommendation from environmental justice leaders urging the EPA to support underprivileged and low income residents, since these populations do not often benefit from remediation and cleanup projects. This had been due to a lack of locally trained citizens in the past, since many jobs were filled with professionals from distant locations instead. Such grants now help regional unemployed residents to find careers in their communities which have been affected by disasters such as blight, economic disinvestment, and solid and hazardous waste.

Since 1998, the EPA has funded 256 job training grants exceeding $54 million, and more than 13,900 lucky individuals have completed the training.

Alumni from this program have secured jobs related to the extraordinary projects, such as the response and cleanup of the World Trade Centers in New York after September 11, along with cleanups from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Sandy, as well as the BP oil spill.

The graduates from the Florida State College program will receive 240 hours of core training in hazardous waste remediation, lead and asbestos abatement, mold remediation, lead renovation/repair/painting, underground storage tank removal, storm water management, emergency response, oil spill cleanup, and pest management.

MVP Environmental Solutions has had experience working with hurricane cleanup after Katrina occurred, and we know how important it is to have local residents involved in the remediation and aftermath of disasters like this. We are happy to see that educational and professional opportunities are being given to a wider population so that we can all join in taking care of our planet and our community.

Sources:

Young, Dawn H. ?News Releases By Date.??05/26/2015: EPA Selects Florida State College at Jacksonville, Fla. for Job Training Grant / EPA Selects 19 Communities for Grants to Train Unemployed Individuals to Enter the Environmental Field, Strengthen Local Economies. United State Environmental Protection Agency, 26 May 2015. Web. 28 May 2015. <http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/f4fd941e1452f43785257e51006ba178!OpenDocument>.