City-Led Program Creates Dozens Of Green Jobs In Austin

Press release from the City of Austin:

December 14, 2021

Virtual Showcase Will Feature How Nonprofits Are Focusing on Environmental Sustainability

Multiple organizations are partnering with the City to expand the range of accessible green job opportunities in Austin. Alongside the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC), the Innovation Office and community partners developed the Green Workforce Accelerator (GWA) program. This program helps build capacity for organizations to provide pathways for residents into a variety of green jobs. The program aims to help inspire, train, and employ the green workforce of the future. Over the next year, the Innovation Office anticipates that the work done by the organizations in the GWA will lead to 30-50 paying opportunities for Austin residents, with the wages paid by participating organizations.

Organizations that took part in the first Accelerator include:

• Montopolis Community Development Corporation
• Fruitful Commons
• American Youthworks
• African American Youth Harvest Foundation

As part of the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps, the jobs created will help Austinites earn income, serve their community, and gain skills that can lead to strong new careers. The ACCC provides training and infrastructure for a broad range of green jobs related to conversation and sustainability. It has already created about 100 opportunities for residents across a dozen projects.

“The Green Workforce Accelerator was developed out of the ongoing work of the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC), an initiative I’m proud to have launched in response to the economic effects of the pandemic,” said Council Member Alison Alter, who authored the resolution creating the ACCC. “As the climate emergency continues to impact our city, green jobs are key towards building a sustainable, resilient, and equitable community that meets the aspirations of the Green New Deal. I look forward to supporting the Green Workforce Accelerator and its programs.”

"I am so inspired by what these organizations accomplished in the inaugural Green Workforce Accelerator,” said Daniel Culotta, Acting Chief Innovation Officer and former Austin Civilian Conservation Corps Program Manager. “These diverse groups represent a range of green opportunities and the community in their work. I look forward to their continued success, and to the expanding landscape of partners who are creating more equitable and sustainable outcomes in Austin.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the Green Workforce Accelerator program is invited to attend a virtual showcase Thursday, December 16. The event will focus on how nonprofits are changing lives by building a greener, more resilient Austin.

Attend virtually from 5 - 6 p.m. Speakers will also include representatives from the City of Austin, 3M, TarmacTX and Blue Sky Partners. 

Find more information and registration details here.

This press release was produced by the City of Austin. The views expressed here are the author’s own.