Knoxville helps HAWOPER graduates find green jobs
The Knoxville Tennessee Career Center has been hosting job fairs for laid off workers who have been newly certified as environmental technicians. Job fairs are being held every Tuesday until all of the program graduates are placed in jobs.
This is part of a pilot program the career center began to help displaced workers get green jobs. The career center worked with the International Chemical Workers Union Council to provide workers with a five week program that included a variety of training and certifications. During the five week course, workers were trained for 40 hours in Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), 30 hours in Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) construction, 16 hours in lead paint remediation, four days in mold remediation, four days in asbestos remediation and one day in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other first aid skills.
Program graduates received certifications in all of these things. The HAZWOPER certification is the most significant, as it deals with five different kinds of waste operations under OSHA standards. It is a requirement for workers to participate in emergency environmental cleanup jobs.
The program was offered for free to displaced workers served by the career center. The $47,000 cost was funded through the city’s Workforce Connections program.
For the full story, go to Knoxville News Sentinel.
