Green Jobs Training + Placement

2M is Atlanta’s Leading Advocate
for Sustainability, Inclusion, Resilience + Green Jobs Training

Renew + Transform

Green Jobs Training/Placement

Sustainability + Resilience must be intentional

Ethical Responsibility to the Future is integrated into our Practice

In Atlanta and around the nation the average construction superintendent is 55 years old and will soon retire. We have a window of about 5-10 years to replace these experts. The “greying” of the construction industry necessitates that we join forces to fill this great deficit! 2M contributes towards a sustainable and resilient construction future by educating under-served populations and including them in the “Green Economy”. We have a clean canvas to change the status quo with a responsible and ethical voice. Green Jobs – The majority of buildings standing today will be in use for many decades. Renovating and operating them more efficiently, along with building new high-performance green buildings is a huge opportunity to reduce carbon emissions that affect climate change and create green jobs.

2M’s Green Jobs Training & Placement began on the jobsite in 2003.

Case Studies

Case Study #1 – Fulton County Government’s Community Workforce Development Program

The model for on-the-job-training and placement has been tested and used by Fulton County Government’s Human Services Department. Belinda carried out this model on the County’s capital projects from 2003 through 2007. The County’s goal was to have successful bidders participate in this training and employment program for low-income residents with a numerical goal of one job for each $1,000,000 of construction costs.

In 2003, Belinda worked with the County’s Workforce Development Program to place Mr. Earnest Leary, Jr., with the Design Build contractor Engineering Design Technologies (EDT) for the construction of the new 25,000 s.f. Ocee Regional Library project that was also a pilot project for the LEED v2 Rating System. This on-the-job training and apprenticeship program allowed Mr. Leary to train and remain employed with EDT for several years until he started his own sustainable landscaping business. This proves that training hard-working, low-wealth residents to function in “green jobs” can allow them to support themselves and their families for a lifetime.

Case Study #2 – East Atlanta Library (EAL): Preparing & Training Workers on LEED Projects

EAL has a great underdog story because it was never put out to bid to be designed as a LEED project and ultimately received a LEED Silver designation.

Vohn Henderson with Newco Construction of America was a perfect candidate to learn the principles of the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Rating System while building the East Atlanta Library, a project on which Belinda A. Morrow; LEED AP was brought on board to oversee the design and construction for this project. Thanks to teamwork and Vohn’s excellent site management, the project that was once a brownfield became a LEED Silver green building.

Vohn was experienced in traditional construction but had never built a “green” building. He was passionate about learning how to build using LEED protocol and carried out all of the tasks Belinda requested. Because of EAL’s LEED Silver designation, Vohn is now a project manager for green buildings.

Exposure to a new cadre of green tech jobs for low-wealth residents:

Solar Energy Technicians
ICF Installers
Green/Garden Roof Installers
Eco-Friendly Building Materials
Plumbers-Grey Water Technicians
Green Procurement/LCA
Renewable Energy
Innovation in Construction

Xeriscape / Native Plants / Community Gardens
Energy Star Equipment Installers
Cool Roof Installer
Drip Irrigation Installer
Waste Management Plan
Green Housekeeping
Innovation in Design

Case Study #3 – Enduring Thoughtfulness – Solving Problems Beyond our Lifetime

50 years-ago in Atlanta, the construction industry served as the glue for economic growth and inclusion among corporate leaders, governments and communities! Today, we have GPRO which can aid in “greening” that bond to prepare a new cadre of skilled workers for the future.

“50 years from now we will be remembered for how we handled today’s opportunity”

G|PRO

Green Professional Building Skills Training

In 2015, 2M became licensed as the Urban Green Council’s officially authorized GPRO Delivery Partner in the State of Georgia where we have trained over 200 participants. 2M champions the creation of green jobs on capital projects for low-wealth residents and for Operations and Maintenance staff by having its principals certified in GPRO, a national training and certificate program developed by the Urban Green Council, teaching people to build, renovate and maintain buildings using principles of sustainability combined with trade-specific green construction knowledge that allow projects to pursue an Innovation in Design Credit using LEED Pilot Credit #81.

URBAN GREEN COUNCIL (UBC) is a non-profit funded by members, sponsors, foundations. It exists as an entity separate from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) www.usgbc.org. Its mission is to advance the sustainability of urban buildings through education, advocacy and research. Efficiently operated and well-maintained buildings can reduce operating costs by 20-50% while improving occupancy satisfaction. Led by industry experts, UBC created the Green Professional Building Skills (GPRO) training program, a national green building training and certificate program linking tenets of sustainability with trade-specific construction knowledge for those who build, renovate and maintain buildings. www.urbangreencouncil.org.

2M’s 2019 GPRO Training/Certification for IMAN’s GREEN RE-ENTRY COHORT

The plight of formerly incarcerated individuals facing barriers to employment and community reintegration has been a cornerstone of IMAN’s work since its inception. Green ReEntry provides transitional housing, life skills education, and sustainable construction training for returning citizens and high-risk youth in Chicago and Atlanta.

GPRO Learning Objectives

How sustainability affects you and future generations.
Builders play a critical role to ensuring a more sustainable future.
Taking a systemic approach in design and construction.
Evaluating building performance.
Actionable measures and next steps to improving the health, energy or water efficiency of buildings.
Cost and benefits of those measures.

Green ReEntry Graduation Celebration

“2M trains first GPRO green re-entry cohort to earn
certification in Fundamentals of Building Green.”

Special Acknowledgements

Marguerite Casey Foundation
Casablanca Construction
Thikka, LLC
Brad Construction
Najee Plumbing
Elijah Enterprises
Supreme Burger
Yusef Salaam

City of Atlanta
2M Design Consultants
Georgia Justice Project
American Mechanical Heating & Air
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Award Recipients

Change Award

Tyriek Johnson

One Link, One Chain Award

Anthony Solomon

Inspire Award

Antonio Price

Serve Award

Bilal

Student Resources

NABTU is dedicated to the stability of employment and economic security of organized construction workers in North America.

NABTU’s cutting edge apprenticeship and training system provides students like you an opportunity to earn high wages and great benefits. By joining the apprenticeship program, you will receive state-of-the-art, technologically advanced, industry sanctioned training from the construction industry’s highest trained instructors and leave with invaluable skills to propel your career forward.

GPRO News

Looking for Sustainable Solutions?

Green Jobs Training + Placement

2M is Atlanta’s Leading Advocate
for Sustainability, Inclusion, Resilience + Green Jobs Training

Renew + Transform