EWT PROGRAM
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The Environmental Workforce Training Program assists unemployed and underemployed residents of northeastern Pennsylvania acquire new skills that may lead to entry-level jobs in surveying, construction, and environmental cleanup fields.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
For over 25 years, Earth Conservancy has worked to revitalize the environment and economy through reclamation and reuse of abandoned minelands. EC’s Environmental Workforce Training (EWT) Program adds to those efforts, training 25 unemployed/underemployed workers from northeastern Pennsylvania annually in surveying and environmental cleanup skills and technologies with our partner, Penn State Wilkes-Barre. We then assist participants with their job search for the following year. The goal: For graduates to find self-sustaining employment, ideally in a field that aligns with EC’s revitalization efforts. There is no tuition cost for the program. More information can be found in the program brochure:
The EWT Program has made possible by generous grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the PPL Foundation, and the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, as well as financial and in-kind contributions from our partners.
INFORMATION SESSIONS
Already want to speak to someone about the program? Here’s your chance! Starting in November, we’ll have virtual Information Sessions with our partner, PA CareerLink Luzerne County. Sessions are scheduled for Tuesdays in January at 11:00am. The Zoom link to attend is available here. You can also email Program Director, Elizabeth W. Hughes, EdD, with questions.
Zoom Link: Click Here
Flyer: 2022 EWT Program – Information Sessions with PA CareerLink Luzerne County
ELIGIBILITY
In order to apply to the EWT Program, you’ll need to meet the following eligibility requirements:
Resident of northeastern Pennsylvania • High school graduate or GED-holder • Aged 18 or older • US citizen or authorized worker • Unemployed, underemployed, or dislocated worker • Hold a valid driver’s license • Have reliable transportation • Have email access • Consent to background check and drug test • Like to work outdoors in all conditions • Possess strong math skills • Able to perform tasks involving physical labor • Able to commit to full 2½-month program • Agree to one year of follow-up interviews
COURSES & SCHEDULE
Instruction for the EWT Program is coordinated by Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Office of Continuing Education. Together with EC and the Surveying Engineering department, they have developed a practical, hands-on curriculum for participants – a $6,046 value. Courses include:
Introduction to Brownfields • Surveying Field Assistant • Basic Land Surveying Techniques • AutoCAD, Level I • GIS for Resource Conservation • Environmental Sampling • OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER • OSHA 10-Hour Safety • First Aid/CPR • Technical Writing
Classes will begin in early February, 2022, and will run approximately 2½ months with 233 contact hours. The classes are held either at Earth Conservancy’s offices in Ashley; or at Penn State Wilkes-Barre in Dallas, PA. The 2022 class schedule is available below (subject to change).
OUTCOMES
With our partners, we’ll work with you to help find you employment after the program ends. You’ll leave the EWT Program with
23.3 hours of continuing education credits from the Pennsylvania State University
3 federally-recognized certifications
A professional résumé and cover letter
References and/or a letter of recommendation
APPLICATION
If you’re eligible, download and complete the application below. You may need to save it to your computer to use the fillable fields. Once finished, you can either mail it to Earth Conservancy at 101 South Main Street, Ashley, PA 18706, Attention: Dr. Elizabeth W. Hughes; or email it to [email protected]. Please note: Veterans receive preferred entry.
PARTNERS
Strong partnerships are the cornerstone of the EWT Program, chief among them Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Surveying Engineering department and Office of Continuing Education. Additional partners include:
Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board
Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board
Pocono County Workforce Development Board
Northern Tier Regional Planning Development Commission
PA CareerLink®
EPCAMR
Outreach
Commission on Economic Opportunity
Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center
Veterans Resource Coalition of NEPA
Local engineering firms serve on an advisory committee, which includes Barry Isett & Associates, Geo-Science Engineering & Testing, JHA Companies, and SCE Environmental.
