Meeting Notes - November 18

Green Collar Jobs Roundtable

Workshop Group II: Training

Date: November 18, 2008

Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Location: SEIU 32BJ at 101 Avenue of the Americas, Room 720 (7th Floor)

In Attendance:

Training Working Group Leader: Rebecca Lurie, CWE
Urban Agenda Representative: Myles Lennon

James Barry, 32BJ Thomas Shortman Program, Program Development
Michael Bobker, CUNY Building Performance Lab, Director
Sean Brennan, Mason Tenders Training Fund, Training Director
Debby D’Amico, Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, CUNY, Senior Program Developer
Suri Duitch, CUNY, University Director of Adult Continuing Education
Megan Houston, Full Spectrum of NY, Intern/Analyst Grad. Student with Pratt Institute
Maureen LaMar, NYCOSH, Assistant Director
Robert Lewis, CWE, Curriculum Developer
Rebecca Rabison, Association for Energy Affordability, Program Associate
Luis Torres, Center for Sustainable Energy, Associate Director for Community and Public Affairs
Michael Yee, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, Treasurer

Note Taker: Donald Graff, CWE, Intern

1. Introductions

2. Myles’ Introduction:
A. Myles Lennon: scope is key.
i. We want to stay focused on the workforce development aspect.
a. Rebecca Lurie: goal of the training
1. to match up well with business needs and desires
ii. City needs planning around workforce development for green jobs.
a. key reason: city needs a strong “green” workforce
1. this is key to our accomplishing of our urban agenda.
iii. Where are the gaps?
a. employer working group will help identify where they are
b. gaps in job training (Rebecca Lurie)
c. deal with this on more of a macro level

3. Green Jobs Roundtable Draft Report
A. the idea of this is to set the table (in terms of current status and current sectors)
i. end result: shared document that covers a broad swathe of stakeholders.
a. this would be a document we could stand by and submit to the city.
B. James Barry: is sector approach the way to go?
i. There needs to be a contiguous line through the report
ii. Attendees agreed that sector approach is the way to go
a. we’re developing ideas, concepts, and program design as part of a political strategy for NYC (i.e. political context)
b. James Barry: if there are, say, 10 energy jobs, we can focus on, say, 2 of them and drill down from there
1. a spreadsheet for this could have different sectors (ex.: energy sector broken down into building-related sub-sector)

4. Tools we can access
A. Zoho Sheet
1. This can be, and is being used by us, to post spreadsheets
2. We can do a posting (template) and Myles Lennon can enter that information into a spreadsheet.
3. Rebecca: we need to determine who’s responsible for the various sections

5. Objectives (5 bullets prepared for this meeting)
A. These are 5 points that this sector of the roadmap can address
B. Bullet #2: “Sketch of green career paths – job titles, descriptions, qualifications, certifications”
1. How do we transition the workforce development structure (in terms of going green?)
2. Internships are part of the training pathway (Mike Bobker (*he runs an internship program)
a. Rebecca agreed: We should put “internship” as part of career pathway model.
b. examples: MTA signal school, Local 100 (TWU)
c. don’t assume that young apprentices are schooled in all of these layers.
C. Bullet #3: “Analysis of cross-sector skills and qualifications”
1. parallel training: train workers for jobs that are out there + jobs that will be existing tomorrow at the same time.
a. Myles: Yes. This is good. Transferable skills + existing work structure
2. cross-sectoral skills
a. rather than a bullet point, it can be put on a blog where people can add on to it (i.e. where there’s an overlap) or on a conference call.
3. First (Urban Agenda) Working Group has already dealt with the broad cross-section of the job market
4. Robert Lewis: target audience may be bifurcated.
a. Not necessarily. Working Group III charged with dealing with low-end (i.e. welfare-to-work, ex-convicts, etc.) target audience (Rebecca Lurie)
5. Mike Bobker: we need to figure out what those basic skills are and how we get to them (i.e. this may involve basic educational system)
D. Bullet #4: “Identification of exemplary certifications, curricula and programs”
1. including cross-sector transitional skills (Rebecca Lurie)
E. Bullet #5: “Recommendations for developing pre-employment
Corp/internships/volunteer/education programs”
1. Myles: this is our last priority
F. Additional Bullet suggested
1. Mike Bobker: “Trying to define our ‘urban’ training system”
a. this would refer to the different parties involved (i.e. CBO’s, various universities, etc.)

6. Examination of Training Availability and Needs By Sector, Sub-sector, Job
A. We’re determining the gap for the various green jobs
B. Review of Job Description’s 1-14
1. #2 “Is there a demand for the position? Do we see or anticipate labor shortages? (show proof if possible, speak to employers, studies referenced)”
a. Rebecca: if we have this “proof” available, lets get it out
1. ex.: UN book on Green Jobs (shows job data on a global scale)
i. Myles: these additions are fine as long as they help to make the case for the reasons for workforce development
2. #’s 12 “What is the career pathway?” and 13 “Where is advancement”
a. Mike Bobker: we’re taking people into a somewhat challenging learning curve and we should be aware of that fact.
C. Myles: we’re targeting incumbent workers and transitioning them to green job sectors.
1. we’re also targeting the new work force
D. Michael Yee: USGBC exists and is not re-inventing the wheel. (this could be a model). USGBC is adapting to new technology (i.e. signalman, carpenter, tradesman)
1. as new technology comes along, we examine the gaps we have to fill in, in terms of new technology, and adjust to fill in those gaps.
E. The Sustainability Revolution by Andrés R. Edwards
1. Rebecca Lurie mentioned this book and suggested devoting 1-2 paragraphs on something relating to it, in terms of showing how training in all sectors will be changing.
F. Should we show how to access policy controls?
1. Not necessary. The Outreach and Political Policy (Urban Agenda) Workforce will deal with this area.

7. Review of Sector Templates on Urban Agenda Blog
A. 1. “Energy”
1. add information about: retrofits, efficiency, energy management, renewable energy (i.e. hybrid vehicles (ex.: Grant Associates, SBS Transit Sector))
B. Other sectors that will be fleshed out by attendees on-line:
1. #2 “Urban Forestry”
2. #3 “Environmental Remediation”
3. #4 “Transportation”
4. #5 “Green Product Development”
C. Attendees Volunteering
1. Attendees volunteered and James Barry entered attendees, people not present and certain organizations into the 5 sectors accordingly.
D. Myles
1. He can put up an area on the Urban Agenda blog where people can put up names and organizations that Urban Agenda can reach out to in different areas. E. What about employers? (Michelle Matthews)
1. While the unions represented here at the table are involved in joint- training fund that works with employers (i.e. AEA, CEC, Full Spectrum), no commercial employers are represented.
2. Myles: the way we have divvied up the Urban Agenda Working Groups
a. it’s designed to eventually lead to Road Map to share with the city council and mayoral candidates

8. H.W. for Next Meeting
1. Determine
a. training needs
b. what already exists
c. what’s next
2. Myles
a. he will put templates with relevant points up on the blog
i. attendees will help fill this out in their spare time.
ii. issues that may not be directly related to the sector can be posted too if poster deems it relevant

3. Conference calls
a. Tuesday, December 2nd at 10 AM
i. this will allow for team leaders to get together on a Tuesday.
4. Contact Spreadsheet
a. Myles will send this out
i. attendees can fill in their phone numbers, etc. here
5. Objectives
a. they will be re-written and posted on blog
6. Good Finished Product
a. hopefully completed sometime in mid-January of 2009 (Myles)

Working Group Team Members

PARKING LOT

Hi Training Working Group,

If you come across any tangential information, contacts or resources to share with other Working Groups please post it here:




















































___

Below is a draft inventory of Green Collar Jobs Training programs in New York City. For a clearer view of the spreadsheet check out the following link: http://public.sheet.zoho.com/public/gcjroundtable/green-jobs-training-inventory

September 18th Meeting Notes

Green Collar Jobs Roundtable

Workshop Group II: Training

Date: September 18, 2008

Time: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Location: Murphy Institute at 25 W. 43rd Street, New York, NY

In Attendance:

Training Working Group Leader: Rebecca Lurie, CWE

Bertha Aiken, Teamsters Local 237, Assistant Director
James Barry, 32BJ Thomas Shortman Program, Program Development
Michael Bobker, CUNY Building Performance Lab, Director
Sean Brennan, Mason Tenders Training Fund, Training Director
Chris Collins, Solar One, Executive Director
Debby D’Amico, Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, CUNY, Senior Program Developer
Suri Duitch, CUNY, University Director of Adult Continuing Education
Tim Ford, New York City Employment & Training Coalition, Executive Director
Megan Houston, Full Spectrum of NY, Intern/Analyst Grad. Student with Pratt Institute
Jill Kubit, Cornell Global Labor Institute, Assistant Director
Maureen LaMar, NYCOSH, Assistant Director
Robert Lewis, CWE, Curriculum Developer
Rebecca Rabison, Association for Energy Affordability, Program Associate
Glenda Self, Project HIRE at Bronx Community College, Project Director
Jose Sierra, D.C. 37, Blue Collar Division Director
Howard Styles, Local 94, Training Director
Jessica Suarez, NEW, Program Assistant
Luis Torres, Center for Sustainable Energy, Associate Director for Community and Public Affairs
Ruben Torres, Local 237 I.B.T., Secretary-Treasurer
Michael Yee, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, Treasurer

Note Taker: Donald Graff, CWE, Intern

1. Introductions

2. Facilitator’s Introduction:

Rebecca Lurie, Consortium for Worker Education, stressed that what is currently considered “work” is rapidly changing and climate change is creating an urgency to collaborate and work together. Rebecca noticed how this Group Discussion on Training brings together a diversity of interests that share a common goal: Finding Opportunities to Get Green Collar Jobs Education and moving people up in the Green Collar Jobs workforce.

3. Goals to Accomplish:

A. Clarify the Process: Future meetings will be both in person and via e-mail (internet).
1. Internet
Robert Lewis, CWE, Curriculum Developer, can work on a website that will link members of this Working Group online. It could show what everyone in the group is working on. Megan Houston suggested that it could include diagrams. Rebecca suggested that organizing the inventory, questions and other areas is key. James Barry suggested that the sections could be broken down by job titles. Megan suggested that the group could determine the key players for each of the job titles. It was agreed by the attendees that inventorying this training online would be beneficial.

B. Begin to identify critical information and questions for outline we are here to create: we should brainstorm to determine what important points we need to deliver to 2009 Candidates for NYC Offices.
1. We are not writing the plan itself, the city is.
a. We are providing them with guidance.
C. 1.What do we report back today?:
What is the critical and vital background information that candidates need.
2. What is the most important contribution we want to make?


4. How Do People Get Their Job Training (i.e. How Do They Access It)?
a. There are multiple points of entry, all of which should be mapped out in terms of determining where the gaps are and what can be reinforced:
1. Learn in High School and then get a job.
2. Bad experiences in public school leads to attaining skills education in
nonprofit sector (i.e. community based workforce development)
3. Incumbent worker training
4. College
b. It was suggested that we walk through a specific job to explore what we need to know regarding training.
1. Jose Sierra, D.C. 37, Blue Collar Division Director, walked us through a job title in the Urban Forestry sector:

Sector: Urban Forestry
Title: Tree climber/pruner
Job Period: year round
Skills requirement/qualifications: chain saw, knots/ropes, climbing, drivers license, literacy, mandatory physical (including drug testing)
Not required: college education
Wage: roughly $40,000 / year
Points of Entry: PD (Parks Dept.) Training
Career Pathway: City Park Workers
Advancement: Tree Inspector  Arborist  Utilities  Supervisor  Director

a. We discovered the things we would want to ask of every job title – (see underlines above)

5. Outline Development:
a. Rebecca suggested the following as possible Outline Areas, but reiterated the importance that it follows along with the other Urban Agenda Working Groups:
• Sector
• Job Titles
• Certification
• Qualifications
• How is training paid for?
• Job Descriptions
• How do they access?
• What are the gaps?
• Where is the demand?

b. Mike Bobker saw the outline as a “product” of a large matrix (i.e. big table) instead of just a list of job titles:

Sector Job Title  Skills Requirement

c. Retrofitting: Michael Yee felt that this is a good topic. For example you can look at a specific retrofitting job that is part of an identified job sector.
1. BPI: Training for retrofitting jobs like Building Retrofit Technician, Energy Auditor, Building Analyst, etc.

6. What Additional Information Will They Need and Where Will They Get It?
A. Bad Jobs: Determine if they are dead-end jobs or only temporary.
1. develop a rating system for the quality of the jobs. The group agreed that rating or labeling jobs may make sense.
a. a rating system that is like the LEED system with bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

7. Conclusions

A. Points of Entry: Rebecca Rabison suggested we focus on the different points of entry and their scope.

B. Finance: Michael Yee and Jill Kubit focused on the funding. Michael felt that we should look at how this could be financed and should view ourselves as a collective force to advocate the bringing of funds to where they are needed.

8. Next Steps
A. Use internet to link members of this Training Working Group online.
B. Create different sub-groups by sector.
C. Create a template or matrix for job exploration that each sub-group is working
with.
D. Invite in other experts.
E. Establish clearer direction
F. Have the first subcommittee meeting venues set up 1. sub-groups could meet at different locations.
G. Reach out to schools.
1. Rebecca suggested that the group should invite Michael Mulgrew, from UFT and DOE, to come in.

Welcome to the Training Working Group

After our initial meeting at the large Roundtable we have been in hiatus, awaiting our charge from working group #1. While waiting an intern at CWE is doing research on existing programs, trying to learn several things about what already exists. We are exploring certifications, job outcomes, program funding sources, etc. We will post a draft of this worksheet soon. We will use this research and the findings of the "current landscape" group when we begin our work in mid-November.

We will be in touch soon!
Rebecca