INDIANAPOLIS — A new $750,000 workforce development program aims to help residents of Indianapolis’ near east side, southeast side and Martindale-Brightwood neighborhoods gain skills for in-demand green jobs.
The Green Jobs Workforce Initiative, announced Monday by the John Boner Neighborhood Center, Edna Martin Christian Center, Southeast Community Services and KeyBank Foundation, will prepare 100 participants over the next three years for living-wage careers.
The program will focus on training in fields such as hazardous materials removal, asbestos abatement, weatherization and energy efficiency. Participants will earn stipends during training and receive wraparound support services, including job retention assistance.
Organizers say the effort is designed to connect people facing barriers to employment — including those who have been incarcerated or struggled with addiction — with stable, long-term job opportunities.
“Instead of that quick, dirty money, this gives them a chance to earn legitimate wages,” said Rob Smith, a program participant. “It’s an opportunity people in our neighborhoods really need.”
RecycleForce, Ivy Tech Community College and local construction companies will partner with the initiative to deliver job training and certification programs. The goal is to rehabilitate abandoned properties and prepare vacant land for redevelopment while creating environmental and economic benefits for the community.
“Our three neighborhoods have been historically disinvested,” said Peggy Frame, Executive Director for Southeast Community Services. “This program provides not only jobs but hope and sustainability.”
The Green Jobs Workforce Initiative is being funded through a grant from KeyBank Foundation, which officials say is part of a broader push to bring equitable economic opportunities to areas that have faced systemic barriers to employment.
