News Releases from Region 09

U.S. EPA Superfund Job Training Initiative provides skills and opportunities for San Gabriel Valley-area graduates

LOS ANGELES – Yesterday evening, 20 area residents graduated from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) program. Graduates of the program now have the necessary skills to be considered for future jobs with the environmental contractors cleaning up Superfund sites in the area, such as the four San Gabriel Valley Area Superfund Sites, or state-led cleanup sites.

SuperJTI is a national program that provides unemployed and underemployed individuals with the technical skills and specialized training needed to work on cleanup projects at Superfund sites, on other environmental remediation sites, and in a broad range of construction projects. Each San Gabriel Valley graduate earned certificates in:

• Water Distribution and Treatment
• Work Readiness
• CPR/First Aid
• 40-hr Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response

“Job training programs are a win-win for communities impacted by hazardous waste sites,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker. “EPA congratulates these graduates for acquiring the necessary skills to gain full-time employment and help address the environmental challenges in their community.” 

EPA worked in partnership with Hacienda La Puente Adult Education Center and America's Job Center of California (AJCC) – East San Gabriel Valley to recruit students for the program and conduct the training over an unprecedented 13-week period, which consisted of both classroom instruction as well as hands-on exercises. Approximately 80 people applied, 23 were selected, and 20 graduated from the program with the certifications that prepare them for work in the environmental remediation field or water treatment jobs.

To date, around 400 trainees nationwide have participated in the SuperJTI program. Approximately 80% of those trainees have been placed into jobs.

For more SuperJTI information, please visit: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-job-training-initiative

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