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Jobs

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City Career Fair and Courses for Contractors Provide Job Opportunities

Are you looking for a new career? Know someone in Philly looking for a job?

This Friday, December 2, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., representatives from nearly two dozen municipal agencies (including PWD!) will be at the Community College of Philadelphia (17th and Spring Garden Street) to talk to you about current job opportunities with the City of Philadelphia Government.

The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. You can register at the door or here. More information about the event is available here.

Help us spread the word by sharing this information with your neighbors and friends!

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Green City, Clean Waters Outreach Ambassador?

A member of the Philadelphia Water Public Engagement Team teaches Philadelphia Youth about Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Germantown/Mt. Airy. Credit: Philadelphia Water.
A member of the Philadelphia Water Public Engagement Team teaches Philadelphia Youth about Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Germantown/Mt. Airy. Credit: Philadelphia Water.

Are you interested in helping communities learn more about protecting local watersheds through projects that make neighborhoods greener, more vibrant places to live, learn, work and play?

You could be our new Outreach Ambassador!

Economic Benefits of Philadelphia Water’s Green Approach = Icing on the Cake

This rain garden is making our rivers cleaner while adding value to a South Philly business and block. Credit: Philadelphia Diner.
This rain garden is making our rivers cleaner while adding value to a South Philly business and block. Credit: Philadelphia Water.

Here at Philadelphia Water, every piece of our expansive, 3,000 mile stormwater system works towards toward one goal: effectively managing the water in our city that comes from storms, whether they’re summertime cloudbursts or January blizzards.

Managing stormwater is a critical and necessary task for any city. In Philadelphia, we address stormwater both to protect our neighborhoods from flooding and to protect our drinking water sources, the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, from pollution.

We don’t get to choose whether or not we deal with stormwater. But, with our innovative 25-year, multi-billion dolar Green City, Clean Waters program, we’re finding new ways of managing that water that can have additional benefits for neighborhoods—and maybe even Philadelphia’s economy too.

Calling landscapers and home contractors! Join our Rain Check Team

A rain garden installed by Rain Check contractors. We're looking for qualified contractors to install these stormwater tools. Credit: Philadelphia Water
A rain garden installed by Rain Check contractors. We're looking for qualified contractors to install these stormwater tools. Credit: Philadelphia Water

Philadelphia Water, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Sustainable Business Network are looking for qualified contractors to work with the Rain Check program. Through Rain Check, Philadelphia Water provides free rain barrels  and helps residents pay for landscaping tools that manage stormwater and can beautify their properties.

We need qualified contractors to install stormwater tools such as rain gardens, permeable pavers, downspout planters and rain barrels.
Installation contractors may be landscapers, hardscapers, general home contractors, and professionals from related fields.

Benefits include: free or reduced-cost training, affiliation with our innovative Green City, Clean Waters program, paid consultations, and new customer leads without the cost of advertising. Rain Check work is not intended to be full time, and pairs well with an existing workload.

Depending on participant demand, active contractors can expect to earn $10,000-$35,000 per year. Work will begin in July for qualified contractors.
To be considered for Rain Check, any interested contractors should join us for an upcoming information session to learn more about the program and meet current contractors.

Date: February 12, 2016

Time:

  • Info Session: 8 – 8:45 a.m.
  • Contractor Meeting: 9-11 a.m.

Meeting Location:
PHS Board Room
100 N 20th Street- 5th Floor

RSVP by February 10th at archive.phillywatersheds.org/raincheck

More Detailed Information on the Positions:

Rain Garden and Permeable Paver Position Description

Rain Barrel and Downspout Planter Position Description

Change Your Life, Help Protect Our Water: Apply for PowerCorpsPHL Now

Above: Paul Johnson shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro during his PowerCorpsPHL program. Photo Credit: PowerCorpsPHL
Above: Paul Johnson shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro during his PowerCorpsPHL experience. Photo Credit: PowerCorpsPHL.

The social, environmental and economic benefits we get out of having and maintaining the green infrastructure that makes up Green City, Clean Waters are a big part of why Philadelphia is taking the green approach to solving stormwater challenges. It’s what we call our “triple bottom line.”

One way we connect people with those benefits is by working with PowerCorpsPHL to train young adults in things like green infrastructure maintenance. As we've seen, that training is translating to real jobs right here in Philadelphia.

And right now, PowerCorpsPHL is looking for young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 who are committed to transforming themselves and their communities. The application period for the next round of youth closes July 3, so now is the time to act.

To find out how you or someone you know could end up working with PowerCorpsPHL and Philadelphia Water, follow this link.

Need proof the program can have a real impact? Here’s fresh testimony from three guys who did the work and now have real jobs they’re proud of:

“PowerCorpsPHL taught me a lot about the [green stormwater infrastructure] field that I’m going to be working in and gave me all the experience I need. They also hooked me up with the right people. My reference list was crazy! All the way from the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department [Howard Neukrug] down. PowerCorpsPHL prepared me to bring patience, motivation, time management, networking, and delegation to the job. I also learned how to create and maintain statistical databases, use power tools, and perform location and navigation. And my communication skills definitely improved.” Paul Johnson, Cohort 2 member and Cohort 3 Assistant Crew Leader on the GSI crew.

 Where He Is Now: Paul now works in Green Stormwater Infrastructure maintenance with the  green design firm AKRF and is studying to become a GSI engineer.

“PowerCorps was like gas for my car. They really give you the opportunity to show what you’re capable of. Whatever it is you’re good at, they pinpoint it and allow you to develop a career out of it. My original plan was to work for the Water Department, but I was allowed to be in certain situations where Mr. [Rich] Negrin [Managing Director, City of Philadelphia] was seeing my writing and speaking skills. If it wasn’t for PowerCorps, I wouldn’t be halfway to where I am now. I wasn’t even thinking about the type of work I’m doing now, let alone applying for it. PowerCorps was a life-changing opportunity.” Marcus Bullock, Cohort 2 GSI crew member, Cohort 3 PPR Assistant Crew Leader.

Where He Is Now: Marcus received a job as a speechwriter in the Managing Director’s Office during Cohort 3, and has since been promoted to Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff.

“When I first started in PowerCorps I was basically the same hard-working guy. I’m a team player regardless. I’m a basketball player—a point guard—and I want my team involved. If the team needs a leader, I can be that leader. I know my place in whatever team I’m on. Whatever I need to do to make the team strong, that’s what I do…It’s not easy to get into PowerCorps. You have to go through a third party, so a lot of the guys I know are in the predicament I was in. So first I recommend RISE and then from RISE you can get to PowerCorps. It’s a process, and a lot of people don’t want to do the process. I’ve been doing this since I’ve been home, for a year and a half. You get what you put into it.  A lot of people just want handouts, and that’s not what PowerCorps is.”Keith Williams, a Cohort 2 PPR crew member and Cohort 3 PWD crew member.

Where He Is Now: Keith has been working in the mechanics shop for PWD since early May. He’s just passed his civil service exam and hopes to one day become a crew chief.

Although the July 3 deadline is fast approaching, another round of applicants will be selected this winter and contacting a PowerCorpsPHL Recruitment Partner now can help pave the road for entry into the program. Read more about how it all works here.

DC Reminds Us: The 'Why' Behind Green City, Clean Waters

The Philadelphia skyline frames a stormwater-fighting green roof on the Free Library of Philadelphia. Our city is leading the way on green infrastructure. Credit: Philadelphia Water.
The Philadelphia skyline frames a stormwater-fighting green roof on the Free Library of Philadelphia. Our city is leading the way on green infrastructure. Credit: Philadelphia Water.

We couldn't help but notice all the buzz down in Washington this week as they made the case for green to residents and unveiled revised stormwater plans relying heavily on green infrastructure. We congratulate DC Water on a big step in the right the right direction! Their debut also reminded us of our Green City, Clean Waters rollout way back in 2011, and got us thinking about the "why" behind green infrastructure.

So, why Green City, Clean Waters?

After almost five years of putting green infrastructure into neighborhoods, the answer to that question is clearer than ever. In a nod to the DC Water plan, here are four reasons Green City, Clean Waters is better than just sticking with the old way of doing water infrastructure:

Now. Our green infrastructure is already providing water quality benefits. Green City, Clean Waters improvements allow Philadelphia to enjoy better water quality and environmental and social benefits right now. 

Better. In place since 2011, Green City, Clean Waters is creating environmental, social, and economic benefits that our neighborhoods would otherwise miss out on. Green infrastructure projects are increasing property values, beautifying neighborhoods, fighting extreme summer heat, creating natural habitats, enhancing public space and schools and even making neighborhoods safer.

Fairer. While other cities scramble for funds and end up saddling ratepayers with the burden of financing massive and outdated gray infrastructure projects, our 25-year Green City, Clean Waters plan is a cost-saving program that lets Philadelphia Water minimize rate increases and keep water affordable for all.   

Jobs. Green City, Clean Waters is fueling a green jobs economy in Philadelphia, creating high-value new jobs for residents and attracting smart workers and firms to our city. An ambitious and forward-thinking green infrastructure plan needs an ambitious and forward-thinking workforce to succeed, and we’re making that happen here right now.

Rain Check Employment Opportunities!

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Part-time positions as Stormwater Property Assessors in PWD’s Rain Check Program are now available! If you are knowledgeable about stormwater management or have a background in engineering, design, or construction, consider joining the Rain Check team.

Rain Check is a Philadelphia Water Department program that helps residents manage stormwater and beautify their homes. Through the program, PWD will help pay for the cost of landscape improvements that manage stormwater. Visit the Rain Check webpage to learn more.

Stormwater Property Assessors visit participant homes and analyze properties to determine what stormwater management features will be most effective. Assessors can set their own schedules and are paid $300 per assessment. These are part-time positions. The Energy Coordinating Agency will be hosting a required training session on June 24th and 25th for anyone interested in becoming a stormwater assessor. For more information, please read the position description. To sign up for the training session, contact Zach Popkin at the Energy Coordinating Agency at zacharyp@ecasavesenergy.org.

 

Rain Check Assessor Training

June 24 & June 25 (both days required, time TBD)

Knight Green Jobs Training Center

106 W Clearfield St.

Philadelphia, PA 19133

215.609.1450

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