Training to Address Occupational Disparities and Environmental Justice and the Benefits Derived from This Approach

The idea of redevelopment or reclaiming contaminated properties such as brownfields is not a new one, however linking this to occupational health disparities and community access to jobs is. Communities across the country have struggled to redevelop neighborhoods to make them healthy, safe, livable, and most importantly sustainable. The NIEHS Environmental Career Worker Training Program (ECWTP), formerly the Minority Worker Training Program, addresses one of the most important and significant problems with urban unemployment--workers lacking crucial technical and marketable job skills and experience on the job. The program recognizes that the composition and culture of each community is different and that programs must include the community and local organizations at the core of the strategies to create sustainable communities. Holistic programs that develop career paths to address those most vulnerable to occupational exposures such as minority workers, those untrained, undocumented and lacking access to healthcare are the key to address the issue of occupational health disparities and environmental justice. Approximately 10,700 workers have trained under the ECWTP with 70% of those workers obtaining employment in environmental remediation and construction fields.  In this presentation, I will share results of the report entitled "Minority Worker Training Program: Guidance on How to Achieve Successes and Best Practices” and well as the Economic Impact Analysis of this same program. The guidance will include information on innovative techniques to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs. It will also provide model strategies to address barriers to successful program implementation (e.g., trainees lacking access to quality health and safety training and trainees who have low educational attainment).  The Economic Impact Analysis will show that for an investment of approximately $3.5 million annually, economists found that this program generates a $100 million return on investment each year. Benefits are derived from the program’s effects on earnings, reduction in workplace injury costs, reduction in hiring costs, reductions in crime related costs, reductions in transfers and the additional tax revenue gained as a result of the program.   For many graduates, the ECWTP provides them with their first marketable job skill, and we estimate the ECWTP increases the probability of employment by approximately 59 percent.  The program also generated $2.3 million for the previous year in matching funds and in-kind contributions from firms and non-profit organizations that understand the enormous benefits of the program.