JFYNetWorks training ranges from brownfields to green jobs
Since 1976, JFYNetWorks has helped more than 50,000 youth and adults throughout the state of Massachusetts earn high school credentials, acquire marketable job skills, and find career-ladder employment in growth industries. The community-based organization targets out-of school youth, career changers, immigrants, and the underemployed.
Some JFYNetWorks trainees learn environmental clean-up skills.
Since 1976, JFYNetWorks has helped more than 50,000 youth and adults throughout the state of Massachusetts earn high school credentials, acquire marketable job skills, and find career-ladder employment in growth industries.
The community-based organization targets out-of school youth, career changers, immigrants, and the underemployed. Its mission is to empower youth and adults through high quality education and skill training to realize their full potential as achieving students, sustainable earners and engaged citizens.
JFY’s Green Jobs environmental career-track employment training program was established in 1995 and was among the first EPA Brownfields job training pilots in 1998.
The 14-week course trains students in the hazardous materials industry: cleaning up toxic waste, asbestos, mold, and chemical spills. Students learn college-level chemistry with lab skills, study environmental science, go through mock interviews with prospective employers and learn how to write a resume.
At the completion of the course, the students leave with seven different federal occupational safety certifications and the skills to land a job.
In 2008, the cities of Boston and Cambridge adopted programs to make buildings energy efficient, and JFYNetWorks responded immediately by meeting with energy service companies to determine what green positions needed to be filled.
With the support of a $200,000 state Pathways out of Poverty grant, JFY created a new solar installation and assembly training program. They will also launch an energy-efficiency training program for conducting energy audits and performing building weatherization.
JFY’s green jobs training now spans the full range of green jobs: environmental clean-up, energy conservation, and conversion to renewables.
JFYNetWorks has been a leading developer and provider of innovative education and job training programs for over 30 years, serving both youth and adults. Other departments within JFYNetWorks include JFYNet, a computerized academic support program to help middle and high school students statewide meet state and federal performance standards; and JFYLit, an adult literacy program that includes high school equivalency (GED) classes and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
