20 developed a program to train underemployed residents of Syracuse, NY—the Green Train Landscaping and Urban Ecology (GLUE). The program focuses on training the underemployed workforce, while at the same time promoting environmental stewardship. The program emphasizes the use of green infrastructure to address water quality issues caused by stormwater runoff in the Onondaga Lake Watershed. Other programs focus on education of young persons to provide a future green workforce. As part of its NatureWORKS program, the nonprofit group Jobs for the Future has been studying the potential for green jobs, seeking to identify current and emerging trends in the green infrastructure workforce and examining the potential for job creation in this area. Its recent publication, Greenprint: A Plan to Prepare Community College Students for Careers in the Clean Economy, provides recommendations for how community colleges can implement educational programs to prepare graduates for green jobs. The group plans to publish similar documents on the full range of public and private installation and maintenance and inspection jobs in green infrastructure, including details of several national certification efforts currently underway. Certifications in green jobs are available from a number of organizations, including the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP). NGICP has established national certification standards for green infrastructure workers involved in construction, inspection, and maintenance of green infrastructure. The goals of this program are to (1) establish a career path for skilled workers related to green infrastructure, (2) support the development of proficient green workforces, (3) ensure that international best practice standards are met, and (4) advance the establishment of sustainable communities by promoting green infrastructure as an environmentally and economically beneficial stormwater management option. Case Study: Starting with a Small-Scale Project at Fletcher Field Franklin, Massachusetts In the town of Franklin, Massachusetts, a rain garden was installed at Fletcher Field, a multi-use park that includes a playground, a baseball field, and basketball court, and picnic area. Installation of this rain garden with native shrubs and plants provided aesthetic improvements while simultaneously capturing runoff from the parking lot. This project was constructed in 2010 at a cost of $16,000. The town was able to maximize resources by having Department of Public Works crews install the soils, mulches, signs, and plants. This project highlights multiple benefits of implementing green infrastructure: the opportunity for site-specific stormwater management, improvement of green space for the community to enjoy, and public education. Figure 10. Fletcher Field rain garden. (Source: City of Franklin, Massachusetts)
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