Environmental workers are in demand, and Civic Works, Baltimore's urban service corps, aims to meet some of the need. The group just got two grants worth $1 million to put toward green collar job training.  

The Foundation for an Open Society gave $532,319 and the Maryland Department of Human Resources kicked in $524,023 to the program that will create "sustainable employment in high demand 'green collar' jobs for Baltimore’s underserved populations," according to the corps.

The money will go the B'More Green program (they had the name before we did here at the blog, so thanks again for letter us share.) That program trains unemployed and underemployed Baltimoreans in brownfields remediation, hazard abatement and environmental demolition.

The money will also help Civic Works move job training operations to a dedicated building called the Baltimore Center for Green Careers in Moravia Business Park, 6260 Frankford Ave. It will be home to a warehouse, classrooms, hand-on training space and offices, the group says.

“Getting Baltimoreans back to work in living wage high demand jobs is a win-win for everyone,” said John Mello, green projects director for Civic Works, in a statement. “Our programs have been transforming lives, but this grant will enable us to greatly expand our operation and provide much needed skills development in high demand jobs to Baltimore’s unemployed and underemployed populations.”

Civic Works will target unemployed and underemployed residents who have some kind of barrier to a better job. The group expects to aid 44 people over two-years. Twenty four will get training in the energy retrofit installer program and 20 will learn to be environmental frield technicians and abatement workers.

They will also get job placement services with employers in contracting, weatherization or home building with a focus on energy efficiency retrofits. Others will be placed with demolition, hazard abatement or brownfield remediation companies,

They agree to pay $12-$16 an hour and have room for advancement. The employers will get six months of wage subsidies.

Public tours of the new building are scheduled for June 8 from 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. For more information on the Baltimore Center for Green Careers, call 410-929-6124 or go to  www.civicworks.com.