Greening Curricula

For the last six months I have provided contract support to Job Corps in the Department of Labor in greening training programs for U.S. youth.  Current efforts have focused on taking existing training and assessing the integration of green standards to assure that moving forward students are learning environmental stewardship and environmentally preferred knowledge, skills, methods, and materials as appropriate for entry-level job placement.  There are many important opportunities to engage all communities in learning around green. 

In attending this past year’s Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference, http://www.greenjobsconference.org, the most striking comment I picked up in the lining of presentations and conversations is that making active connections between the education organizations and employers is critical.  Green employers have a deep need for educated workers, so if you are planning to educate for green jobs be sure to engage your local and regional businesses throughout the process to account for their needs.  In my experience, they are more than willing to be actively involved.  It will be great to see where we are next year and educational opportunities will hopefully be poised to represent a larger and more connected component of the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference.

If you are also looking into or are greening your curricula I would be happy to converse with you about research, standards and, certification, approach and strategy, processes, or (most importantly in this evolving field) staying flexible.  Feel free to send me an email at juneblanks@gmail.com 

June Blanks

LEED AP