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March 31, 2004
King County Jobs Initiative receives job training grant from EPA
The King County Jobs Initiative (KCJI) today received a $150,000 job training grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will allow the county to train, place and track the progress of at least 76 low-income, disadvantaged county residents in environmental jobs. The funding is a part of the EPA's Brownfields Job Training Grants that will teach environmental-cleanup job skills. KCJI in partnership with the Office of Port Jobs and South Seattle Community College will provide South King County residents with 464 hours in environmental clean up and construction readiness training to be used in restoring contaminated lands into productive commercial or industrial properties whose eventual tenants will create additional jobs.
Brownfields are properties where a hazardous substance exists. Revitalization of these sites reduce environmental and health risks, reuse abandoned properties, take advantage of existing infrastructure, create a stronger local tax base and attract new businesses and jobs.
King County Executive Ron Sims, in announcing the grant, said that in King County, more than 700 brownfields have been identified, primarily in the county's three manufacturing and industrial centers. After years of little construction, several office complexes are being developed and residential and commercial construction is increasing. Sims said many of these projects will require workers with environmental technical training, which this grant will provide.
EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt announced the selection of the grants today, stating that, "These grants focus on achieving results. They train people for real jobs, jobs that help restore neighborhoods, protect public health and build strong communities."
A total of $2.4 million will be awarded to 16 communities in 13 states, bringing to 82 the number of grants awarded since the job training program started in 1998. Since 2003, EPA has provided more than $75 million in all types of Brownfields grants to states, local governments and non-profits under the Brownfields law. The Brownfields program has leveraged more than $5 billion in public and private investment resulting from EPA's investment of less than $800 million. Every acre of reclaimed Brownfields saves 4.5 acres of green space such as park and recreation areas.
The KCJI is in its sixth year of operation and has enrolled over 1,225 participants. The strength of the program is its ability to continue to provide employment for low income residents during a time of high unemployment for the Puget Sound region. Over 810 participants have been placed in permanent jobs and over 668 have achieved 12-months of job retention.
The program's goal is to ensure participants are employed in jobs that pay a minimum of $8 an hour plus benefits. That goal has been surpassed, as the average wage rate for participants is $10.84 plus benefits. Job retention is tracked one year from the time a participant is placed in employment. While 65 percent is the retention rate goal for the KCJI, the current retention rate is 82 percent. This ranks the KCJI as one the top employment and training programs in the nation that provides the necessary follow-up to help clients maintain employment through skill upgrades and support services.
For more information regarding the King County Jobs Initiative, contact Carolyn Bledsoe, at 206-296-3432. For information regarding the Brownfields Initiative, contact Lucy Auster, at 206-296-8476.
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