By Building Careers for DC Residents:
The DCSEU’s Workforce Development Program was designed to shape the local green economy by providing DC residents with marketable skills and green career pathways. Twice a year, the DCSEU connects District residents with 5-month green externships working with local contractors and other sustainability or environmental organizations.
Since 2016, 66 District residents have graduated from the program, with nearly 90% of those offered full-time employment in green careers after graduation. This fiscal year, the DCSEU had two cohorts of externs with 20 externs graduating from the program.
Before Andre Roberson was selected for the DCSEU’s Workforce Development Program, he had hopes of becoming an electrical technician. After being selected for the program Andre was able to complete a six-month externship at Greenscape Environmental Services while attending bi-weekly soft skills and professional development workshops at the DCSEU.
“The DCSEU helped me get over the fear of getting back out into the workforce, by giving me the opportunity to learn some new skills and develop a certain confidence that I can go out there and compete in today’s job market,” says Andre.
The DCSEU works to connect District residents who are new to the workforce, between jobs, or looking for a career change with local contractors in the green economy. Through job skills development, on-the-job training and certifications, direct work experience with contractors, and job placement assistance, the DCSEU helps externs discover new careers in sustainability.
By Helping Those Who Help Others:
La Clinica del Pueblo has been committed to improving the health of Latino immigrants and low-income families for more than three decades. La Clinica primarily serves Latinx immigrants in the District offering primary medical care, mental health, and other services.
With all the hard work the hospital does to treat patients and provide good quality healthcare, sometimes it can be hard to stay on top of maintenance issues. The hospitals 15th street site contained an older HVAC unit that was about 20-years-old and could be unreliable during heat waves in the summer. In the past, staff have had to close the clinic due to maintenance issues because it was not possible to deliver services to patients.
The DCSEU worked with La Clinica to upgrade lighting fixtures and install a new HVAC unit in their 15th street site. Through our Income Qualified Efficiency Fund (IQEF), the DCSEU is able to help hospitals and other healthcare facilities like La Clinica who focus on providing excellent care to patients in the District while worrying less about repairs, maintenance and high energy costs.
“Any time that we don’t have to spend funds on operations and administrative infrastructure, it means that we have more to support our clients, community, and staff,” says Catalina Sol, Executive Director at La Clinica Del Pueblo. “All of those savings are really critical, not only to being able to build a sustainable organization, but to make investments that are more directly related to our mission.”
The DCSEU seeks to work with hospitals and other healthcare facilities as they may spend twice as much as other business on energy-related expenses. With the new installments La Clinica can continue to focus on providing excellent care to patients in the District while worrying less about repairs and maintenance.