The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce helps bring green jobs to the Central Valley
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has good news for those looking to land a green job: The field is growing! In the Central Valley, the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (FMBCC) works to create career and entrepreneurial opportunities—green and otherwise—for the communities they serve.
“I think it’s important because it’s our future in Fresno,” says Brittany Carpenter, FMBCC Biz-Werx mobility outreach coordinator. “It’s important that businesses learn what they need to do to get ahead of [the trend] before they get left behind, because it’s ever-changing. It’s also very important that Black and African Americans get a chance as well as we tend to get left behind when there’s a lot of technological advances happening.”
“It’s important that businesses learn what they need to do to kind of get ahead of [green technology] before they get left behind, because it’s ever changing.”
Brittany Carpenter, Biz-Werx Mobility Outreach Coordinator, Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce
The FMBCC works to empower, engage and educate their community, help businesses thrive and connect people with jobs and careers. The chamber offers several programs that support the local workforce and businesses:
- The Bonding, Technical Assistance, Contracting [BTAC] program helps individuals looking to earn their contractor’s license with classes and administrative support. The program also helps existing contracting businesses improve their business model and better understand diversity, procurement and networking.
- The Biz-Werx car share program features a fleet of 25 electric vehicles (EV) that chamber members can use, reducing the number of cars on the road and the resulting carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
- In partnership with the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, the Electrify California program helps businesses get into the electric vehicle (EV) sector with business training, networking, strategic planning, market analysis and operational guidance.
- The Electrify California program also supports individuals looking to earn their Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) certification. During the 12-week training session, students learn how to fix and maintain EV charging infrastructure and get connected with internships.
- The Fresno Green Team helps businesses—including the FMBCC—get green certified and reduce their carbon footprint. The program also helps young adults learn about green jobs in the conservation field.
In addition to helping create green industry jobs in the Central Valley, the FMBCC works to promote local businesses and bolster their local economy. And through its partnership with MOVE the Valley, the chamber is able to reach further and improve the lives of people throughout the Central Valley.
“When you help bring up those businesses, you bring up the entire community that surrounds them,” she says. “[MOVE the Valley] helps us with a lot of advocacy work for our members here at the Chamber, but also they get to help us spread a lot of the amazing work that we get to do and expand our reach to help more individuals that are looking for our services.”
For more information on the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce programs, visit fmbcc.com or call 559-441-7929.
