- Where can I get a green-collar job?
- What is the difference between Green For All, the Apollo Alliance, and the Ella Baker Center's Green Collar Jobs Campaign?
- How can I help?
- Can I join the California Green Stimulus Coalition? The Oakland Apollo Alliance? The Oakland Climate Action Coalition?
- What are green jobs bills I should know about?
- How do I start a green collar jobs training program?
- What is a "Green-Collar Job"?
- Why is it important to have "Green Collar Job" training?
- Can I sign up for a "Green Collar Job" Training program?
Oakland Green Jobs Corps FAQ
- What is the Oakland Green Jobs Corps?
- What are the roles of the primary Oakland Green Jobs Corps partners?
- What are the three
phases of the program?
- How many trainees will participate in the program?
- How will the participants be selected?
- What is the role of the Mayor's Office of Oakland?
- What is the role of the Ella Baker Center and the Oakland Apollo Alliance?
- What is the role of
Professor Raquel Pinderhughes?
- What is the Oakland Green Employer Council?
Where can I get a green-collar job?
The
Ella Baker Center advocates for public policy to create green-collar
jobs, but we are not a job training or job placement provider. We don't
do green job training, but we do have some information about
green-collar job training programs in the East Bay.
Click
here to see our Resources for Job Seekers, or here to see our
developing list of regional green-collar job collaboratives in
California.
What is the difference between Green For All, the Apollo Alliance, and the Ella Baker Center's Green Collar Jobs Campaign?
We
are part of a vibrant movement for green-collar jobs and have many
allies in our family. Sometimes, it does get confusing so here's how we
explain the differences.
Green For All is a national organization building the national movement for an equitable green economy.
(They do a pretty good job of explaining who they are here). In January 2008,
Green For All spun out of the Ella Baker Center and is now a totally
separate organization. The Ella Baker Center's Green-Collar Jobs
Campaign focuses on the state of California. Green For All focuses on
Washington, D.C., and also provides support in "the 49 states" other
than California. We often refer to them as our "sister" organization.
Van Jones was co-founder of both the Ella Baker Center (1996) and Green
For All (2008).
The
Apollo Alliance is one of our closest allies. They are a national
organization advocating for public policy for "clean energy and good
jobs." Here's how they describe themselves. In
addition to their national work in Washington, DC, the Apollo Alliance
has 14 state and local Apollo Alliance "franchises" throughout the
country. Each franchise is staffed and coordinated by a locally-based
organization, with guidance and technical support from the national
Apollo Alliance. The Ella Baker Center staffs and coordinates the
Oakland Apollo Alliance (in partnership with the local electrical
workers union, IBEW 595). We also serve on the Steering Committee of
the California Apollo Alliance.
[I'm
not sure if this adequately answers the question. maybe we could go
into more detail about how we coordinate apollo-like coalitions, and
also in particular strengthen the "community" arm of the apollo
coalitions that we participate in, but this becomes difficult to
explain and may be boring -ik]
How can I help?
We
need all the help we can get! You can volunteer or intern with us. You can join our email list, and we'll let you know when
we need you to take action online or make a phone call to help us
influence key decision-makers in local or state government. And you can
make a donation, which always helps, no kidding.
Can I join the California Green Stimulus Coalition? The Oakland Apollo Alliance? The Oakland Climate Action Coalition?
Coalition
building is one of the primary ways we build the power and the
expertise to advocate for a green-collar economy that truly has a place
for everyone and leaves no one out. We currently coordinate three
coalitions related to our work in Oakland and California. Click
here to read more about the California Green Stimulus Coalition, a
statewide, cross-sector alliance advocating for appropriate uses of
federal stimulus funds in California. If you represent an organization
interested in joining, send an e-mail to Derrick Chapman [link], Statewide Organizer.
Click
here to read more about the Oakland Apollo Alliance, our local, East
Bay coalition for clean energy and good jobs. If you represent an
organization interested in joining, send an e-mail to Emily Kirsch, Bay
Area Organizer.
Click
here to read more about our newest effort for sane, green policy and
planning in our city, the Oakland Climate Action Coalition. If you represent an organization interested in joining, send an e-mail to Emily Kirsch, Bay Area Organizer.
What are green jobs bills I should know about?
We
provide guidance and support for key bills in the California State
Legislature each year. Click here for our list of priority bills this
year.
How do I start a green collar jobs training program?
We
get this question all the time and for good reason. The development of
the green economy has never been more important, and now there are
significant government funds to support green job training.
We
are working right now on creating a special "toolkit" for those wishing to
develop new green-collar job training programs. The toolkit will
feature best practices and good examples of green-collar job training
in California; the essential elements of a green-collar job training
program; resources related to curriculum development; and much more. We
are creating it especially for officials in local governments and
workforce development and education providers, but we also intend it to
be accessible and useful for a much wider range of people. We
expect to have the toolkit available by the end of 2009 at the very
latest. In the meantime, if you have an urgent question related to
starting a training program and need assistance now, contact
Green-Collar Jobs Campaign Bay Area Organizer Emily Kirsch [link] or
Professor Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes at San Francisco State University.
What is a "Green-Collar Job"?
"Green-Collar
Jobs" are good, living wage jobs in enterprises and industries that are
environmentally positive. The list of possibilities for "Green-Collar
Jobs" is endless. Nearly any job can be made green by taking the
environment into consideration. Our primary green jobs focus at the
Ella Baker Center revolves around renewable energy, alternative fuel,
green construction and weatherization of buildings.
Why is it important to have "Green Collar Job" training?
Green
jobs provide pathways out of poverty and into a renewable economy.
They simultaneously address social and environmental justice issues to
help create an economically vibrant, socially just and environmentally
sustainable future for ALL. In the midst of our economic crisis job
creation is vital. There is a profound opportunity to create new jobs
for working class Americans that will put food on our tables, while
simultaneously cleaning our environment and protecting the natural
resources we need to survive. People need to be trained in methods
which reduce greenhouse gas and use less energy, in all fields. By
creating a workforce ready to respond effectively to our environmental
situation to sustainably retrofit our cities we are building hope for
the future!
Can I sign up for a "Green Collar Job" Training program?
The
Ella Baker Center is an advocacy organization, pushing for legislation
and funding for green job training programs. We do not run a job
training program or serve as a job placement organization. Below is
more information about our role in the development and implementation
of the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, a local green job training program
which was informed by Professor Raquel Pinderhughes. For more
information on upcoming training with the Oakland Green Jobs Corps and
other training opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area please refer
to the resource sheet we created for job seekers and contact the
training programs directly with further questions
Oakland Green Jobs Corps
What is the Oakland Green Jobs Corps?
The
Oakland Green Jobs Corps is a green-collar job training employment
pipeline providing “green pathways out of poverty” for low-income
adults in Oakland. The program is providing job-readiness training,
ongoing support services, college credit and paid on the job training,
enabling graduates to pursue careers in solar, energy efficiency and
green construction industries. The development of the Oakland Green
Jobs Corps was informed by the "Pinderhughes Model" created by
professor Raquel Pinderhughes to provide entry level green-collar job
training to adults facing barriers to employment. The Ella Baker
Center and the Oakland Apollo Alliance are the original architects and
champions of this program. The Ella Baker Center and the Oakland
Apollo Alliance in partnership with the Oakland's Mayor's Office
secured $250,000 in seed funding to launch the Oakland Green Jobs
Corps. The City appointed a expert and neutral committee that selected
the winners of a competitive RFP. The winners consist of the best
education and workforce development trainers in the city. The three
partners that make up the Oakland Green Jobs Corps are Cypress Mandela
Training Center, Laney College, and Growth Sector Inc.
What are the roles of the primary Oakland Green Jobs Corps partners?
- Cypress
Mandela Training Center:
A renowned
pre-apprentiship construction training program with strong connections
to the unionized building trades that serves low-income adults.
- Laney
College: A premier regional community
college providing green career technical education to training participants.
- Growth
Sector: A non-profit workforce intermediary which connects trainees to employment
opportunities and provides support services.
What are the three
phases of the program?
Trainees in
the Oakland Green Jobs Corps complete three phases over the course of the
program:
- Phase II: Laney
College and Cypress Mandela - 10 weeks
- Contextualized Training for College Credit:
- Eco Literacy - Ecology, Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Justice
- Solar Installation - Introduction to Solar, Basic Electric, Math for Electritions, Material Science, Roofing
- Energy Efficiency and Weatherization
- Green Construction
- Social Support – Financial Aid as Eligible, Child Care, Transportation, Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Case Management
- Phase III: Cypress
Mandela and Growth Sector - 12 weeks full time
Participants are placed in paid green-collar
internships and apprenticeships for on-the-job training opportunities. Case management and support services will be provided throughout this
phase to help ensure successful transition into long-term employment in
the green sector.
- Phase IV: Graduation -
- Ella Baker Center, Oakland Apollo Alliance and the Oakland Mayor's Office
- Upon
graduation in Summer 2009, the program will place graduates in full
time jobs with solar firms, energy efficiency companies and green
construction contractors. The typical starting wage in the solar
industry in the Bay Area is $15 per hour. The wages for starting
apprentices in the construction trades range from $12 to $16 per hour.
Cypress Mandela has a long history of close relationships with the
Alameda County Building Trades Council, the building trades unions, and
developers, general contractors, and subcontractors. Growth Sector will
provide other placements, especially those related to solar and energy
efficiency firms.
How many trainees will participate in the program?
The
Oakland Green Jobs Corps anticipates graduating 40 individuals in its inaugural session in Summer 2009.
How will the participants be selected?
Trainees
are selected by a panel comprised of representatives from the City of
Oakland, labor and trade, and college professors.
What is the role of the Mayor's Office of Oakland?
The office of Mayor Ron Dellums has provided leadership and direction for the
critical seed funding that launched the Oakland Green Jobs Corps. In
accordance with the Mayor's vision of Oakland as a “Model City,” the
Oakland Green Jobs Corps is helping Oakland become a sustainable, cohesive community
with a healthy citizenry that participates fully in the civic, social,
economic, and cultural life of the city.
What is the role of the Ella Baker Center and the Oakland Apollo Alliance?
- The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights played a
critical role in the creation of the Oakland Green Jobs Corps. The Ella
Baker Center continues to support and advise the program as an outside
consultant.
- The
Ella Baker Center along with the International Brotherhood for
Electrical Workers Union (IBEW 595) co-convene the Oakland Apollo
Alliance. The Oakland Apollo Alliance includes experts and leaders from workforce development, organized
labor, academia, green business, and economic and social justice
organizations that are working together to turing Oakland into a model
sustainable city that creates high quality jobs for its residents while
cleaning up the environment, improving public health and helping
America achieve energy independence. The Oakland Apollo Alliance and
the Ella Baker Center designed, championed, and won city funding for
the Oakland Green Jobs Corps.
What is the role of
Professor Raquel Pinderhughes?
- San
Francisco State University Urban Studies Professor Raquel Pinderhughes
Ph D. created the "Pinderhughes Model" for green-collar job training
and placement. The Pinderghughes model informed the development of the
Oakland Green Jobs Corps.
- Oakland is the first city to use the
"Pinderhughes Model," which is already being replicated in other
U.S. cities such as Cleveland and Philadelphia.
- Professor
Pinderhughes is on the Steering Committee of the Oakland Apollo Alliance,
and was central to the coalition's original vision and advocacy for the
Oakland Green Jobs Corps. Professor Pinderhughes also served on the RFP
Selection Committee which competitively awarded the $250,000 seed grant from
the City of Oakland.
What is the Oakland Green Employer Council?
The
Oakland Green Employer Council is a circle of over a dozen local employers in green
industries providing quality, green-collar job opportunities for people in
Oakland and the East Bay by partnering with community-based training
programs like the Oakland Green Jobs Corps. Based on the Pinderhughes Model, the Ella Baker Center organized and convenes Oakland Green
Employer Council.
Employers
on the Council will provide three months of paid on the job training to
Oakland Green Jobs Corps graduates. Upon successful completion of the
on the job training, Employers on the Council are expected to provide
full time positions to Oakland Green Jobs Corps graduates.
