Aug. 8, 2024

Many young adults today are looking for a career that not only provides a steady income but also a sense of purpose. What better way to earn a living than by doing something good for the environment?

The Texas Trees Foundation is helping young adults get a foothold in a green career with a new training program in urban forestry launched by the nonprofit earlier this year. 

EARLY ROOTS

The Foundation began in 1982 as the Dallas Parks Foundation, founded by two philanthropists: real estate developer Trammell Crow, who later founded EarthX, and journalism executive Robert Decherd who both saw the need to support the Dallas park system. The foundation initially did this by planting trees in public open spaces. What began as planting several hundred trees per year grew to now planting thousands of trees —  all on public property.

The organization was renamed the Texas Trees Foundation in 2003, with the purpose of “Greening North Central Texas.” The foundation achieves this by sustaining a tree-planting initiative for area parkways, schools and other open public spaces. They also have established a tree education farm that supports tree plantings and educational activities. This ensures that a healthy supply of trees is maintained for the future. Plus, they now have education programs that teach the benefits of establishing and maintaining a healthy urban forest.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

This year, the Dallas-based tree advocacy group initiated a Green Jobs Work Force program for disadvantaged adults, ages 18-24. 

Workforce participants mulch a newly planted tree.​ Courtesy of Texas Trees Foundation.

“The workforce program provides paid training opportunities to young adults who may face barriers to employment,” said the foundation’s Community Greening Manager, Emily Plauche.

The program offers a six week paid work experience, which connects them with hands-on work experience, introduces them to urban forestry and arboriculture career paths and simultaneously supports the community by promoting a more sustainable city.

The Foundation’s website notes that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the need for urban foresters will increase by 5 percent in the next 10 years and these jobs offer a living wage.

The program partners with Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas, which covers the cost of the participants’ $15 per hour wages through a Workforce Opportunity and Innovation Act grant. Applicants must be a resident of Dallas County and qualify for WOIA services. 

To be eligible to receive WIOA youth services an individual must:

• Be a citizen or noncitizen authorized to work in the U.S.;
• Meet Military Selective Service registration (males only);
• Have a determination of school attendance to identify whether the individual is attending schools;
• And meet the additional eligibility criteria for ISY or OSY (Dallas County specifically services OSY- Out of School Youth)
• Basical skills deficient/English language learner
• Subject to juvenile or adult justice system
• Homeless; runaway; in foster care
• Pregnant or parenting
• Disabled
• Low -income (public assistance) or an individual who lives in a high-poverty area

Initial financing for the program came about thanks to a $400,000 Department of Labor grant, promoted by the late U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas, and her successor, U.S. Rep, Jasmine Crockett.

HYBRID TRAINING

Texas Trees Foundation workforce instructor Eddie Vallejo demonstrates a tree pruning lesson for workforce participants.​ Courtesy of TTF.

The program’s “hybrid training model” — as dubbed by the website — includes classroom, online and hands-on training. The classroom and online training introduces participants to tree biology, tree identification, safety compliance, as well as tree care and maintenance.

The curriculum also covers financial and budgeting advice, resume building and how to behave in the workforce.

In the hands-on component, trainees use their new skills outdoors where they plant and mulch trees, and ultimately take a quiz on tree identification.

Trainees earn $15 per hour during the program and are eligible for help with transportation, housing, health support and continuing education. Ultimately, participants will meet with area green employers who can offer them full-time positions.

So far this year, Plauche says the green jobs training program has now completed two classes, or cohorts. The first cohort was made up of four participants and the second one had six. 

Jordan Folsom is a workforce graduate from the second cohort and now works for Texas Trees Foundation full time.

Texas Trees Foundation’s first workforce participants celebrate their graduation with TTF CEO Janette Monear. From left, Erick Hill, Monear, Amaya Medrano, Vanessa Hernandez, Frederick Jacobs. Courtesy of TTF.

When asked how the TTF program has impacted him, Folsom said, “The Workforce program gave me more knowledge into the field of arboriculture, which helped with my job along with giving me the opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds and work with them and build new friendships.”

Sounds like a win-win: green skills and green jobs lead to potentially “evergreen” friendships.

To learn more about the program, go to the Green Jobs Work Force webpage, complete the interest form or contact [email protected].

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