Lending a Helping Hand with Louisiana Green Corps
You may not realize it
but loads and loads of helping hands go into the upkeep of the city you know
and love. New Orleanians have many organizations to thank for making sure the
Big Easy never loses its flair, but one that might stand out among the rest is
Louisiana Green Corps. Started back in 2008 as an initiative to mutually
benefit youths and the revitalization of the greater New Orleans community in the
aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005, Louisiana Green Corps nobly
aims to be an agent for change. With a focus on construction, conservation, and
revitalization of the state of Louisiana, LA Green Corps offers training programs
to those who wish to help their cause, and an upcoming training session has
been announced. If you're a youth aged 18-24 or an adult 25 years or older
looking to jumpstart your career and lend a helping hand to a greater cause,
then Louisiana Green Corps may just have the perfect opportunity for you.
Louisiana Green Corps YCCC and GICC Training Programs
Louisiana Green Corps YCCC
program will be offering an upcoming training session this September, looking
to boost young adults in the Greater New Orleans area. This 14-week construction
and conservation training program offers soft skills training, nationally
recognized certification training, and performance incentives to boost morale.
During the YCCC program, young adults work to rehabilitate blighted homes of New
Orleans in partnership with SBP, inc., formerly known as the St. Bernard Project.
Utilizing what they learn throughout the program to revitalize New Orleans'
homes, their vital work incorporates building science best practices that they
learn through the help of LA Green Corps.
For those looking to join
Louisiana Green Corps that are 25 or older, the GICC program is an incredible
opportunity towards a sustainable and rewarding career path. The Green Infrastructure
and Construction (GICC) training initiative prepares participants with
credentials and skills needed to enter New Orleans growing water management sector.
The 10-week training program is comprised of a paid internship, professional development
of soft skills, and skills attainment pertaining to construction and green infrastructure.
Trainees of the GICC are placed in a real work environment for up to 80 hours a
week with a local employer, receiving a stipend of $12 per hour.
What does the GICC Program do?
The GICC program doesn't
just provide crucial skills to their participants, but GICC trainees will receive
nationally recognized industry-based credentials, including NCCER Core
(Construction Essentials), Clean Water Certificate (GI), and OSHA 10 Construction
Safety. Along with these crucial industry credentials, students get the
opportunity to focus on math, language and reading skills with an academic
instructor. The program also includes workshops in resume writing, financial
proficiency, resiliency and tool training, and employability skills, ultimately
making this program hard to pass up for the young adult looking to enter the rewarding
career path.
Louisiana Green Corps two
training programs have three specific concentrations, that is construction,
green infrastructure or stormwater management, and energy efficiency or
weatherization. In the focus of construction, students will work in partnership
with SBP, inc., Habitat for Humanity, and Rebuilding Together to get hands-on
experience in building homes from the ground up for low-income families and
rehabilitation of blighted homes, all while applying their newly acquired knowledge
in building science skills. LA Green Corps' focus on green infrastructure and stormwater
management is more than pertinent to New Orleans. With our high levels of
yearly rainfall in combination with our outdated drainage systems, this path of
the GICC and YCCC programs are a much-needed and crucial career opportunity. Lastly,
the concentration of the program on energy efficiency and weatherization informs
trainees on the choices in home building and revitalization that helps homeowners
and renters in the long run though energy efficient and cost-conscious
strategies. Each of these concentrations make these programs a necessity to
both the revitalization and upkeep of the New Orleans community, as well as for
the youths of the Crescent City looking to join the workforce.
If you're interested
in either program, YCCC has an upcoming training session coming this September,
and GICC began their most recent session in April of 2022. More GICC sessions will
surely be on their way in the near future, so no need to worry if you missed
this last round. Transportation assistance and training stipends are provided
to participants by Louisiana Green Corps, and the YCCC and GICC programs freely
offer four classes a year to those who qualify. Don't wait, if this sounds like
something you'd be interested in! You can call or text 504-613-4661 or email info@lagreencorps.org to find out more
information and enroll in either program, or check out their website!