Building A Grassroots Green
Jobs Movement in Los
Angeles
Elsa Barboza, LA Apollo Alliance
SCOPE, Campaign Director
October 9, 2010
Building Grassroots Power for Social Change
A Multi-dimensional Approach to building pathways to power
Power Building: Organizing pathways to power for low income communities of color
Strategic Alliances: Bringing together non-traditional allies to craft innovative policies
Research & Analysis: Bridging technical and community expertise to shape progressive solutions
Training: Sharing our tools & building a stronger, more strategic social justice movement
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGNS
WORKPLACE
HOLLYWOOD
$10.5M Trust for
entertainment industry
training
CITY JOBS
Model Welfare to Work Job Training Program
HEALTH
CARE
CAREERS
$5M for Health
Care Careers
Training
BUILDING GRASSROOTS
PROACTIVE POLICY
DIRECT ACTION
SHAPING AN EQUITABLE GREEN ECONOMY
IN LOS ANGELES
RENEW LA
LA RIVER
LEED
MILLION
TREES
LAX
EXPANSION
$4 billion
TRUCK
ORGANIZIN
G
20%
RENEWABLE
710
EXPANSION
LA PORT
EXPANSION
LOS ANGELES APOLLO ALLIANCE
CITY-OWNED BUILDINGS IN SOUTH LA
• 200 City-owned buildings in South
LA alone (from a total of 1,800+)
• Department of Recreation and
Parks owns 67
LA APOLLO ALLIANCE PROPOSAL APRIL 2006
GREEN INDUSTRY SECTORS
FRONT LINE
SUPERVISOR
BUILDING
MANAGERS,
OPERATORS,
SUPERVISORS
OPERATORS
TECHNICIANS
SUPERVISORS
MACHINISTS
RESOURCE EFFICIENT
JOURNEYMEN
PRODUCT CONTROL
MAINTENANCE
LANDSCAPERS
ASSEMBLERS
APPRENTICE
JANITORS
GARDENERS
TARGET POPULATIONS
Motivated but Under-Skilled Populations
People of Color
Low-Income
Unemployed
Underemployed
Youth
Immigrants
Women
Formerly Incarcerated
Incumbent workers
COMMON BARRIERS
LACK OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA / GED / BASIC
ENGLISH & MATH LITERACY
LACK OF REQUIRED PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVEL
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND DEPENDENCY
CRIMINAL RECORDS
NO DRIVERS LICENSE, INSURANCE, OR CAR
LACK OF LEGAL WORK DOCUMENTATION
LACK OF INTERVIEW & TESTING SKILLS
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM ELEMENTS
TARGETED OUTREACH & RECRUITMENT
STRENGTHS-BASED ASSESSMENTS that ID
knowledge base, learning styles, immediate needs &
life considerations
High quality, high intensity CASE MANAGEMENT &
SUPPORT SERVICES
Early & meaningful EXPOSURE TO CAREERS
COHORT-based approach
Training at NO COST or with income support
Contextualized BASIC SKILLS & ESL
JOB COMMITMENTS, CAREER LADDER
opportunities & on-going skills development
GREEN OPERATIONS / MAINTENANCE
CAREER PIPELINE
“GREEN”
WORKER
PERMANENT
CITY
WORKER
VOCATIONAL
CITY
WORKER
UNEMPLOYE
D
JOB PLACEMENT / HIRING
COMMITMENTS
Public sector
Private sector building trades
“GREEN” SKILLS UPGRADE
TRAINING
Union-based Training Programs: Green
industry-specific skills training
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Joint Labor-Management Program: Basic skills, support
services, career counseling, prep for civil service exam
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Joint Labor-Management Program: Immediate employment, union membership and
benefits, support services, mentorship, case management, integrated classroom
training for basic skills upgrade
TRACK A: Pre-Apprenticeship
• Full-time, 8-weeks
• Unpaid training
• OSHA, job readiness, job site
exposure, tools & equipment,
technical math, green building
principles
STEP 3: Referral
TRACK B: Vocation City Worker
(Gardener, landscaper)
• 2-5 years
• Wage range:
• Basic skills, job readiness, civil
service prep
• Principles of conservation
STEP 2: Intake /
Assessment
STEP 1: Targeted
Outreach &
Recruitment
TRACK C: Intensive case
management
• Length depends on individual
• Types of services: ESL, GED, life
skills, mental health, etc
APPRENTICESHIP
• 2-5 years
•Wage range:
PRIVATE SECTOR
SPECIALTY TRADE
WORKER
FULL-TIME CITY
WORKER
• ___ years
•Wage range:
PUBLIC SECTOR
SPECIALTY TRADE
WORKER