Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2017

Publication Title

2017 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings

Pages

1-9

Conference Name

2017 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Columbus, Ohio, June 24-28, 2017

Abstract

The Environmental Protection Agency launched a Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure in April of 2011. This initiative supports local communities in using green infrastructure to manage rain water while creating co-benefits of green space, which makes communities more attractive and livable. (EPA) In the fall of 2014 the Environmental Protection Agency along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Transportation signed a federal letter of support for green infrastructure recognizing it as an important tool for building resilience to climate change impacts such as increased heavy rainfall and heat island effect. Each agency committed to taking specific action to promote green infrastructure including but not limited to: creating alliances, providing community assistance, funding, training, development of metrics to assess performance of green infrastructure, and promotion best practices. (Federal) The City of XXXX, the Green Infrastructure Center, Inc., and X University have collaborated on a National Fish and Wildlife Federation Grant titled "Developing a Green Infrastructure Plan and Network for the X River Network". As part of the project X University will provide a training program to prepare Veterans for the green jobs of the future. Green infrastructure projects can provide business and employment opportunities for veterans. This project includes a 20 hour educational course for veterans to educate them about the green infrastructure industry, business and employment opportunities in green infrastructure and green infrastructure storm water management techniques. Hands-on training will be incorporated in the course work. This program will develop a base level certification that will qualify recipients for more advanced and specialized programs. This green infrastructure training certificate will be coordinated with other green infrastructure education certifications and programs in a "stackable" manner to provide a transparent track for career advancement, which will benefit employers and the green infrastructure industry. This paper will highlight pre- and post training survey results and provide insight into the progress of the veterans transitioning to this employment area.

Comments

© 2017 American Society for Engineering Education, ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings, Columbus, Ohio, June 24-28, 2017.

Original Publication Citation

Considine, C. L., Seek, M. W., Lester, J., & Dean, A. W. (2017). Green infrastructure training for veterans. Paper presented at the 2017 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Columbus, Ohio.

ORCID

0000-0002-9137-8222 (Seek)

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