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The Environment Circle has been working since January with grantee Ella Baker Center for Human Rights helping to make the Oakland Green Jobs Corps a success. To that end, the initial phase of the project focused on creating a strong “Green Employer Council” to ensure that there would be jobs available for graduates when they finished with the training program. This week, the Ella Baker Center proudly shared that the Oakland Green Jobs Corps has broken through the last barrier to beginning operations in September 2008. After an extensive RFP process, the Oakland City Council Public Works Committee approved a $250,000 award to a special partnership between Laney College, Cypress Mandela Construction Training Program, and a workforce intermediary called Growth Sector.

This exciting decision will ensure that 40 low-income Oakland residents will receive 16 weeks of intensive construction training, plus life skills, academic, environmental, and financial literacy education; 4 weeks of solar panel installation, energy efficiency, and green construction training; and 3 months of on-the-job training with green employers. After graduation, participants will be connected to opportunities in the solar industry and the construction trades. The Environment Circle’s Ella Baker Center project team is excited to be working with the Ella Baker Center to strengthen the Green Employer Council.

In addition to working on the Green Employer Council, the Full Circle Fund project team has also been involved in supporting public policy efforts that would drive demand for energy efficiency projects, in particular SB 1672, a multi-billion bond measure sponsored by CA State Senator Steinberg. A final phase of the project will include consolidating lessons learned from the Oakland experience into a “best practices” document to help replication efforts across the country.

One of the key strategic questions for the Green Employer Council has been how to develop incentives for the employers’ active participation and ensuring their commitment to hiring Green Jobs Corps graduates. The team attended the first meeting of the council, and developed a strategy memo to advise the Ella Baker Center. In addition, team member Nadine Weil, was able to secure a pro-bono branding and logo design effort with a top firm, Addis Creson, to drive recognition for the Green Employer Council.

The Ella Baker Center project is at the mid-point of its Full Circle Fund grant, and Circle members are looking forward to continuing the strategic work with the Green Employer Council and the Ella Baker Center. Next steps will include meeting with the winner of the RFP to see how the team can continue to help ensure the success of the Oakland Green Jobs Corps.

Posted in impact, green jobs, Ella Baker Center, environment, grantees