Funded in part by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Memphis Clean and Green Job Training Program has opened enrollment for free job training and placement assistance to unemployed, under-employed and dislocated residents of Shelby County. Weekly information sessions for those interested in the program will take place at 10:00 a.m. every Tuesday at Memphis Bioworks, 20 Dudley St., on the first floor.
The program is administered by Memphis Bioworks, in partnership with area organizations, with the purpose of training 75 local workers in jobs such as environmental technician, emergency response technician, energy auditor, abatement specialist, and construction positions. Training will be provided at no cost to participants, and job placement assistance will be provided upon successful completion of the program.
“We’re preparing our applicants for work in the environmental and energy efficiency markets,” said Dana Dorsey, job training manager for Memphis Bioworks. “Our goal is to identify the right partners and train applicants in new skills needed for local jobs in emerging employment sectors.”
Environmental job training will consist of two weeks of core training, including seven awareness courses, CPR/First-Aid/AED/Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazardous Materials Transportation, and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). Participants will then have the option for additional technical training in one of two specialized job tracks that include education in energy efficiency/retrofit and construction/healthy homes.
To qualify for the program, applicants must be residents of Memphis and at least 18 years of age. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED, and they must be unemployed, or earning less than $15 an hour. Additional qualifications can be found
here.
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