Background
The story of the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) begins in 1997 when Majora Carter founded the Bronx River Working Group, a loose group of local businesses and organizations working to restore the Bronx River watershed, which would later formalize into the Bronx River Alliance. While the direct goal of the alliance was the restoration of the Bronx River, the environmental restoration projects provided multiple opportunities for employment. The problem was that the people being hired were from outside of the Bronx, despite high unemployment rates in the neighborhood (often as high as 28%). Generally, the local workforce had encountered major barriers to employment, despite Hunts Point’s growing local economy.
These barriers included:
- Lack of critical employment skills and professionalism
- Lack of job experience preventing job seekers to enter new industries
- Weak connection to employment networks and service agencies
- Generational Poverty
- On some form of public assistance
Those with a history of incarceration, or who were returning veterans had an even more difficult time finding jobs.
Goals
To create a green-collar jobs training program that was effective for both potential employees and employers, the goals of the BEST programs are as follows:
- Provide resident-focused workforce outreach
- Connect graduates with positions in local green industry
- Create a referral network through community connections
- Develop lasting relationships and positive reputations with employers
- Give students a strong foundation of soft skills such as: interviewing technique, resume building, discipline, etc.
- Provide long-term support for graduates
Action
In 2003, as Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx, Majora Carter created the first incarnation of the BEST Program: “River Heroes”. This was a 5 month, paid training program that trained people to go directly from graduation into jobs with the Bronx River Alliance Restoration Crew. The initial funding came from a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration grant sponsored by Congressman Serrano. The program developed into an economic & environmental community-specific curriculum that was continually refined over the years. It evolved into a 12-week certification program that trained 60 students per year in “green collar” jobs such as urban forestry management, greenroof installation and maintenance, Brownfield remediation and wetland restoration.
The new BEST program curriculum focused on:
- Developing Strong Relationships with Employers – To ensure relevant curriculum, highest possible placement rates, and investment longevity
- “Soft Skills (critical employment skills) at the core of training – Increases the likelihood of placement AND job retention
- Extensive Three-Day Screening Process – To assess motivation, student adaptability, and ensure the right mix for success within each cohort.
Results
As one of the nation’s first and most successful green-collar job training and placement systems, the Bronx
Environmental Stewardship Training program works to alleviate poverty as well as rejuvenate the South Bronx community.
Due to a rigorous screening process, long-term tracking of graduates, and effective training combining both soft and hard skills, the BEST program has had remarkable long-term success rates. As of 2008:
- 150 students have graduated from the program
- 85% employment rate, with over 90% of those working in green-collar fields
- 10% of graduates are currently enrolled in college
By paying close attention to employer needs as well as the needs of potential students, BEST has developed a highly adaptable and extensive curriculum. Even after graduating from the 12-week program, graduates may continue to acquire new skills in specific environmental job-related workshops. This has resulted in an extremely high demand for BEST graduates from local employers, making BEST a premier example of green-collar education.
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Consulting Services – Media Projects – Majora’s Vision
