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Since 2001, St. Louis Community College and St. Louis University
have partnered together with this EPA Brownfield project to bring
job skilled training to those who live in those affected communities.
The benefit of Brownfield training program is not just job training
individuals come to school, they get trained, they can go out and find
sustainable work. But the other difference is that people go back in their
own local communities and make a difference.
What I've been doing is, I have been enlightening other people
about what's going on in the enviroment.
A lot of people really don't understand,
and they don't watch the news, and they don't know what's going on.
So I am able to answer questions before that I
didn't know to much about it.
I always wondered who did that kinda work
what was that work, what is asbestos
what is lead? Then I actually got through the program
and I learned it, and I realized I was helping people
and I liked it a lot.
In this six week program we work with them
to develop the skills and licenses necessary to be able to
work in a brownfield site or other
environmental remediation areas.
I don't think the extent of training that you get
in the Brownfields program is offered anywhere else.
It makes you more employable by others, I mean by companies
then you could ever imagine. You come in
it's almost overwhelming you know the stuff
the training and the licensing and the certifications
that you receive through the brownfields program.
Because we work in the bi-state area they receive licenses
from both Missouri and Illinois
in asbestos abatement, lead abatement.
We also have certifications in hazardous waste operations
and emergency response.
In addition they recieve certification in mold remediation,
and they also receive a very solid background in occupational
saftey and health.
That way they can work safely on job sites
and supervise others safely.
I've had a lot of different types of training over the years
and I have probably benefited more from the Brownfields training
than any other training I've had.
I believe it has been a benefit to the Saint Louis area,
we've had quite a number of graduates successfully complete
the program. Many of those individuals have gone on to
develop careers in this area, and through that been able to
maintain sustainable wage jobs.
We try to look for a good fit, for people that are going make
a career out of this, and make a difference in their community.
Since my training I have grabbed this environmental thing
by the horns. I'm currently pursuing a bachelors in
Science and Environmental Science as we speak.
So I'm working in the field, I'm getting educated in the field,
so it changed my life it really has.
People are looking at me more I think, so it's a good
program, especially for women to try and get into.
The Brownfields program has had more than a positive impact on me,
it's been life changing.
I mean it took me from a dead end job to a career. And I love that feeling.
What I do I feel good about now. When I go home at the end of the day
if I'm tired or not, I feel like I did some good for a change.