Opportunity Greenway

Building "green" skills, creating futures: Program trains young adults for high wage environmental jobs

Offering young adult students in King County the chance to learn about and train for high wage and high demand "green jobs" - occupations focused on environmental and social responsibility - formed the foundation for Opportunity Greenway, an innovative new YouthSource program

King County Executive Ron Sims was keynote speaker at a celebration on Aug.15, 2008 at South Seattle Community College where participants in the program shared their experiences through video, slide shows and displays. Read the news release.

Opportunity Greenway served more than 40 youth ages 16 to 21, providing classroom and on-the-job training in various "green" fields such as carpentry, weatherization, energy auditor, power utility worker, cement mason, heating and cooling installation, and energy efficient windows glazier. The program, coordinated by the King County Work Training Program, involved other county departments such as Natural Resources and Parks and Transportation as well as private employers. Also participating were local community and technical colleges, including South Seattle Community College, Seattle Central Community College, Green River Community College, King County International Airport, Highline School District and Kent Schools and Parks.

Students were given three separate tracks in which to explore their interests - transportation, energy, and natural resources - with various projects offered within each track. As a "learn and earn" program, Opportunity Greenway provided paid internships while students built knowledge and skills, through an innovative and experiential learning approach aimed at increasing the participants' basic skills, work habits and attitudes for success - in their education and on the job.

For more information about the Opportunity Greenway Program: Grace Kong