St. Louis Community College wins EPA grant for environmental training and job placement

Under its Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) program, the EPA awarded a nearly $200,000 grant to St. Louis Community College (STLCC) to provide unemployed and underemployed individuals with training and job placement in environmental fields, according to a May 22 announcement.

Those selected for the program undergo six weeks of training in skills ranging from hazardous waste remediation to wastewater management. Upon completion, they will have earned 19 certifications that qualify them for employment in a variety of environmental roles.

STLCC has been taking part in the EWDJT program since 2000 and has won five grants in that time. The school has trained 310 students, of which more than 230 have found jobs in specialized environmental positions.

“We consider the likelihood that graduates will obtain employment, and we also support projects backed by strong public-private partnerships, and projects with diverse community-based organization and employer involvement," EPA Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus said. "I am pleased to say that St. Louis enjoys an overarching level of success in all three of these criteria. Together as partners, you do so much to support job opportunity and community revitalization.”

This year’s grant will enable STLCC to train a further 69 students and contribute towards the college’s goal to place at least 55 of them in full-time jobs.