1998 Environmental Job Training Summit

[Center for Public Environmental Oversight <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Below is the invitation letter to the NIEHS Environmental Job
Training Summit and the Agenda for the Summit. If you have any
questions, please call Karen Kneeland at the 301-431-5425 or
send Karen an e-mail at <chouse@dgsys.com>. Additional
information and electronic registration are available at the
Clearinghouse web page: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/clear.htm.

December 30, 1997
Sharon D. Beard, NIEHS
1998 Environmental Job Training Summit

To All Interested Parties:

You are cordially invited to the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Technical Workshop for the
Superfund Worker Training Program. This workshop/summit is
sponsored by the NIEHS, EPA, Clark Atlanta University and Xavier
University of New Orleans. The Environmental Job Training Summit
will be held on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, March 15-17, 1998 at
the DoubleTree Hotel, Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. To
make hotel reservations, call 1-800-222-8733 before February 14,
1998. To obtain the group room rate, say you are with the NIEHS
Environmental Jobs Summit.

Environmental Job Training Summit
The summit will begin on Sunday, March 15 with a bus tour of some of the
hazardous waste sites in Louisiana and a visit to a local training site.

A limited number of seats are available for this tour. There is
no additional charge for this tour, so please register early.
For those of you who plan to attend the bus tour, there are a
limited number of rooms available for a Saturday night stay at
the DoubleTree Hotel. It will conclude with a two-day meeting to
discuss the current and future trends in the environmental
remediation field as they relate to employment and job training.
This meeting is a follow up to the Environmental Job Training
for Inner City Youth Technical Workshop that was held on January
5-6, 1995, at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. The
NIEHS, through an Interagency Agreement with the EPA, has
administered the Superfund Worker Training Program since 1987
and the Minority Worker Training Program since 1995. The
Superfund Worker Training Program has developed model safety and
health training programs for hazardous waste workers and
emergency responders throughout the nation through twenty
cooperative agreements with labor organizations, universities
and community colleges. Seven organizations have received
additional funding under the Minority Worker Training Program to
provide innovative training to young adult people of color in
several urban cities across the US. Training has occurred in 13
cities including: Chicago, IL; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD;
New Orleans, LA; Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; Los Angeles, CA; San
Francisco, CA; Oakland, CA; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN; Memphis,
TN; New York City, NY and Cleveland, OH. Our joint efforts with
EPA to support the Minority Worker Training Program for
inner-city young adults are preparing them for career-path jobs
related to environmental cleanups and construction work. The
majority of these jobs are in construction, lead, hazardous
waste, and asbestos work.

This summit will explore opportunities, successes, and barriers
that have occurred during the past ten years of the Superfund
Worker Training Program, as well as the unique challenges that
have been faced during the past two years of the Minority Worker
Training Program. Creating smoother connections in the
environmental cleanup industry between training and jobs is a
primary goal of the summit. We are inviting representatives from
local, county, state, and federal governments, community based
organizations, labor, contractors, and training organizations
that are working with various job-training programs to
participate in the summit. This summit will also attempt to
serve as a means of creating/sustaining a collaborative dialogue
among interested parties to exchange ideas and help to establish
a framework for strengthening the Minority Worker Training
Program and providing additional opportunities for growth for
all worker training programs.

Travel Scholarships

A limited number of travel scholarships are available for
individuals to attend this summit. No NIEHS Worker Training
Awardees/Staff or federal government employees can apply for
these scholarships. The deadline for receiving scholarship
applications is January 30, 1998.

Airport Shuttle Transportation

The Airport Shuttle operates from the walkway outside of the
baggage claim area at the New Orleans Airport on the lower
level. There is a ground transportation center from which access
to the shuttle is provided. No reservations are required. The
shuttle will provide transportation to the downtown DoubleTree
Hotel and other points in the central business district for a
$10.00 one way fare.

Registration and Agenda A tentative agenda, registration form,
and scholarship application for the summit are attached. To
electronically register and to obtain further information about
the summit, go to http://www.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/clear.htm under
"What's New" section or call the National Clearinghouse for
Worker Safety & Health Training at 301-431-5425. The
registration fee for the summit will be $80 in advance and $100
on site. Be sure to register before February 27, 1998.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 919-541-1863.

Sincerely,

Sharon D. Beard, Industrial Hygienist
Worker Education and Training Program
Division of Extramural Research and Training
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
P.O. Box 12233, Mail Drop EC-25
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
E-mail: beard1@niehs.nih.gov
www site: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/home.htm

Attachments

***************************************************************
Tentative Agenda
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Environmental Job Training Summit
March 15-18, 1998
DoubleTree Hotel, Canal Street, New Orleans, LA

Sunday March 15, 1998

12:45 pm - Start loading Bus

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Optional Bus Tour along the Mississippi
River Corridor. The summit will begin on Sunday, March 15th with
a bus tour of some of the hazardous waste sites in Louisiana and
a visit to a local training site. A limited number of seats are
available for this tour.

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm - Summit Registration at the DoubleTree Hotel

Monday March 16

8:00 to 8:30 am - Continental Breakfast and Summit Registration
DoubleTree Hotel Conference Rooms

8:30 to 10:00 am - Plenary Session: Setting the Stage

Welcome: Joseph Hughes, NIEHS and Dr. Beverly Wright, Xavier
University

Introduction: Sharon D. Beard, NIEHS

Welcome to New Orleans -Dr. Norman Francis, President, Xavier
University of New Orleans (invited)

Keynote Speakers:
Alexis M. Herman, Secretary, Department of Labor (invited)
And
Dr. Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich, Executive Director/Chief Operating
Officer, The Black Leadership Forum, Inc.

Minority Worker Training Program Overview and Highlights: Sharon
D. Beard, NIEHS

Following welcoming remarks and introductions to the meeting by
NIEHS and Xavier University, Alexis Herman will speak to us
about Job Training Programs. Dr. Scruggs-Leftwich will wrap up
and discuss the status of how Job Training Programs create
economic benefits and changes in communities and these urban
environments.

10:00 to 10:30 am - Break

10:30 to noon - Plenary Session: Highlights of Accomplishments
of the Minority Worker Training Programs

This session will address the many accomplishments of several
programs and their impact on the community and benefits to the
participants. Presenters will discuss barriers and incentives to
establishing job training programs using environmental justice
principles, and creating community/labor based partnerships.
This session will provide additional background to participants
for addressing specific topics in later breakout sessions.

Noon - 1:30 pm - Lunch and Keynote Address -Timothy Fields,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response, US EPA. (invited)

1:30 - 3:30 pm - Summit Breakout Sessions

(To ensure even distribution and representation, participants
will be asked to sign up for each breakout session. When a
session is full, participants will be assigned to another
session. Each breakout session will have a facilitator and a
reporter.)

A) Life Skills Management and Curriculum Issues

This session will address the process of developing modules on
life skills management such as preparing for a job interview,
time and money management. It will also explore the different
types of educational techniques utilized. These include
work-based learning, instrumental enrichment, and case
management.

B) Incentives and barriers to modifying construction/cleanup
contracts.

This session will identify barriers to and opportunities for
communication and inclusion of specific local hire language in
clean-up contracts. It will also focus on how programs can
interact with remedial contract managers, local and state
regulatory agencies, and especially contractors to promote the
local hire concept.

C) Raising the Level of Training

This session will consider strategies to address needs for
further development of different types of jobs/careers. This
session will review the changes over the past 10 years that have
created an infusion of different environmental jobs and careers
and how these new jobs have affected the environmental labor
market.

3:30 - 4:00 pm Break

4:00 - 5:00 pm - Report Back from Breakout Sessions

One to two key ideas will be presented from each breakout group,
followed by discussion.

Tuesday March 17

8:30 - 10:00 am - Panel Session: Trainee Perspectives and
Reaction to Worker Training Programs

Panelists: There will be 4 panelists making presentations during
this session.

This session will focus on how trainee and community goals
relate to specific goals of the worker training programs. Each
panelist will take 10 minutes to present an opening statement.
This will be followed by discussion among panelists and then by
questions and discussion from the floor. This session will help
participants gain an improved understanding of the needs of
trainees and how worker-training programs may address these
needs.

10:00 - 10:30 am - Break

10:30 - noon - Breakout Sessions: Adjusting to change and how to
improve worker training programs

A) Defining goals and evaluating how they are met.

What are the goals for environmental job training programs? Do
community/labor based projects meet the goals that have been set
for them? There can be conflicts among collaborators about what
constitutes success. This session will address methods for
collaboratively defining and evaluating accomplishments.

B) Lessons Learned: How do we incorporate these lessons back
into our programs?

Worker Training Programs are involved in health and safety
training, educational and remedial training that all focus on
increasing skill level, safety, and prevention (avoiding
hazardous exposures or reducing adverse health impacts) on the
job. What lessons have been learned from our work to date? What
works well? What doesn't work? What have we learned from our
successes and failures?

C) Linking up with other Job Training Programs. How can it be done?

This session will review various job training programs such as
Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA), Youthbuild, School to
Work, Welfare to Work Programs, etc. The primary focus will be
to highlight successful endeavors and suggest linkages between
NIEHS and these programs, as well as share and exchange
information/strategies.

D) Brownfields and its relationship to Job, Health and Safety
Training

The session will focus on defining the clean up needs at
Brownfields sites and how job and work training programs can
effectively address those needs. What questions need to be
addressed?

Noon - 1:00 pm - Report Back from Breakout Sessions

One to two key ideas will be presented from each breakout group,
followed by discussion.

1:00 - 3:00 pm - Lunch and Minority Worker Training Poster Displays

3:00 - 4:00 pm - Panel Session: Contractor Relationships- How to
successfully meet the needs of Environmental Contractors and Worker
Training Programs

There will be representatives from several environmental
contractors presenting information on their companies,
interaction with labor, job training programs, and other
supporting industries.

4:00 - 5:00 pm - Closing Address and Conclusions

Billy Lucy, President, Coalition of Black Trade Unionist (invited)
******************************************************************
Register Now for the
NIEHS Environmental Job Training Summit
March 15-17, 1998
DoubleTree Hotel, Canal Street, New Orleans, LA

Please note: You are not considered registered until we receive
your payment. If you would like someone to contact you to get
your credit card information please check this box.

Name:___________________________________________________

Title:____________________________________________________

Organization:_____________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________________

City/State/Zip Code:________________________________________

Telephone:______________________

FAX:__________________________

E-Mail:________________________
Registration Fee:

If payment is received by February 27, 1998.............$80.00
(includes breakfast and lunch)

If payment is received on site..........................$100.00
(cannot guarantee availability of meals when registering 
on-site)

Cancellations must be received by February 27, 1998 in order to
receive a refund.

Space for the Bus Tour is limited. The maximum capacity for the
bus tour is 65 people. The first 65 people to indicate their
interest will be able to go on the bus tour. We will confirm
your space on the bus with you. Any questions regarding the bus
tour should be addressed to Myra Lewis, Xavier University at
504-488-1081. If you are planning to attend the bus tour on
Sunday, March 15 please check here. ___________

Hotel Reservations should be made by calling the DoubleTree
Hotel at 1-800-222-8733 before February 14, 1998. You must say
that you are with the NIEHS Environmental Job Summit in order to
receive a group rate.

Method of payment:
Check enclosed payable to George Meany Center

Visa Charge account
number________________________________

MasterCard Expiration Date________________
Amount______________

American Express Authorized
Signature:_________________________________

Please send completed registration form, charge account
information or check payable to the George Meany Center to:

Karen L. Kneeland
National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training
George Meany Center for Labor Studies
10000 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20903
(301) 431-5425 FAX
(301) 431-6464 
e-mail: chouse@dgsys.com

**************************************************************
1998 ENVIRONMENTAL JOB TRAINING SUMMIT
Application for Travel Scholarships - DEADLINE JANUARY 30, 1998

There are a limited number of travel scholarships available to
assist individuals from various organizations in participating
in the 1998 Environmental Job Training Summit. Full and partial
scholarships will be awarded to applicants that meet the basic
qualifications. Current NIEHS Grantees and employees of the
federal government are not eligible to apply for scholarships.
All other interested parties, please complete this application
and return to Myra Lewis via mail, fax, or email. Xavier
University - Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, 7325
Palmetto Street/P.O. Box 45B, New Orleans, LA 70125, attn: Myra
Lewis, 504-488-1081 (phone) / 504-488-3081 (fax),
mmarlewis@aol.com (email).

NAME OF APPLICANT/TITLE:
____________________________________________________________________
NAME OF ORGANIZATION:
____________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________________________________________

PHONE NUMBER:___________________ FAX NUMBER:______________________

SCHOLARSHIP TYPES (registration fee for all scholarship
recipients will be paid):

 ____ Full Scholarship (includes transportation, hotel, and per
      diem*)
 ____ Partial Scholarship (includes transportation/per diem or
      hotel and per diem*)
 ____ Local Scholarship (per diem*)

* Per diem is calculated based on $35.00/day which covers the
cost of meals not included in registration, local
transportation, and other incidentals.

TRAVEL ITINERARY: (Note: The workshop begins with a toxic tour
on Sunday, March 15th. The Summit is scheduled for Monday and
Tuesday. It is suggested that scholarship recipients arrive
Saturday, March 14th in order to keep airline costs down. In
addition, recipients who receive hotel scholarships must check
out by Tuesday, March 17th).

 ____ Arrival date Saturday, March 14th
 ____ Arrival date Sunday, March 15th

Please provide one paragraph detailing information on why you
deserve consideration for a scholarship. Please include
information on your specific job function and how it relates to
our job training program.

Sharon D. Beard
Industrial Hygienist
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Division of Extramural Research and Training Program
Worker Education and Training Program
P.O. Box 12233, Mail Drop EC-25
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
E-mail: beard1@niehs.nih.gov
www site: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/wetp/home.htm
Phone: 919-541-1863
Fax: 919-541-0462