Baltimore Center for Green Careers (BCGC) is a venture of the non-profit, Civic Works, whose mission it is to expand access to family-sustaining green careers for residents locked out of high quality jobs. Training programs were created through BCGC in response to Baltimore’s aging infrastructure, environmental degradation, and high unemployment rate. An EPA Urban Waters Small Grant in 2011-12 helped BCGC to expand its programming. Today, trainings are provided in the areas of:
- Brownfields and Environmental Remediation,
- Residential Energy Efficiency and Weatherization,
- Solar Installation,
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure Construction and Maintenance, and
- Land Resource Training.
The trainings include classroom education, soft skills (like resume building), hands-on experience, certifications (like OSHA), and on-the-job instruction; the program also includes business development and encourages businesses to hire employees from underserved communities. Ninety percent of graduates from BCGC programs secure employment and earn a wage between $12-16/hour.