WIN Waste Innovations and Roca Inc. collaborated on a workforce development pilot program designed to prepare participants for green jobs. The eight graduates of the program were recognized during a ceremony at Roca in Chelsea in March.

 

Participants in the 30-day intensive program sponsored by WIN Waste spent 40 hours in the classroom and 40 hours in the field at WIN Waste’s Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and the Rumney Marshes Reservation in Saugus, as well as Old Town Hill Reservation in Newbury. Classroom work took place at Roca headquarters. WIN Waste’s Bear Creek manager, Geoff Wilson, led the course.

 

The curriculum covered topics including migratory wildlife management in an urban setting, salt marsh ecology and restoration, urban forestry, green infrastructure, invasive species management, low impact stormwater management, and green career paths.

 

“Employment is dignity and employment is opportunity, allowing someone to move forward in life,” Joseph Furnari, Roca vice president of operations, said at the graduation ceremony. “We’re not just creating jobs; we’re creating pathways.”

 

“We couldn’t do this without partners like WIN Waste,” said Lauren Sanchez Gilbert, Roca board chair. “We are proud of this program and the eight people who completed it.”

 

“WIN Waste is an example of what businesses are doing to uplift residents and communities,” said Jay Ash, Roca board member.

 

Graduates of the workforce training program will be prepared for jobs in a variety of fields, including saltmarsh restoration, landscape construction, arbor culture, stormwater management, and parks and recreation. WIN Waste is the largest private-sector supporter of salt marsh restoration in the area. 

 

“Private companies aren’t just employers; we can and should be active partners in solving workforce challenges and advancing environmental goals at the same time,” said Mary Urban, WIN Waste Sr. Director of Communications and Community. “We see this partnership with Roca as a model for what’s possible. We are incredibly proud of the eight graduates who completed this pilot program and inspired by what they’ve achieved. The hands-on training at Bear Creek built real skills, genuine confidence, and true workforce readiness, giving them exactly what employers are looking for. This program proves that business, community, and government can align around shared opportunity, and we hope it serves as the foundation for deeper investment in these graduates, in green jobs, and in the Commonwealth’s environmental justice future.”

 

The students ranged in age from late teens to mid-20s and came from Boston, Chelsea, Everett and Lynn.

 

“They all did excellent,” Wilson said. “It was especially valuable for them to get out into the field and have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they obtained in the classroom.” 

 

“I learned you’ve got to help the marsh to be resilient, the same way Roca is helping me be resilient,” said D’Jimmy Brutus, a graduate of the pilot program. “We all go through stuff, but we all can find a way to come back.”

 

Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary is a 370-acre nature preserve located adjacent to the WIN Waste waste-to-energy plant and monofill and abutting the 2,274-acre Rumney Marsh ecosystem in Saugus and Revere. Certified “Gold” by the Wildlife Habitat Council, it is home to more than 200 species of migratory birds and other wildlife. A large group of birders participate in weekly walks, documenting species that have taken up residence. There is an indoor and outdoor classroom. 

 

WIN Waste is the largest private-sector supporter of salt marsh restoration in New England and funding it provides for those efforts is helping to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise caused by climate change.  

 

“This was a natural progression of our long-standing stewardship at Bear Creek,” Urban said. “Having opened it to school groups for many years, this Roca partnership is a next logical milestone for its use — and one that has the potential for significant positive impact.”

 

The Green Jobs Training Program graduates, who received certificates as well as work boots and other gear from WIN Waste at the ceremony, are:

 

Kristoffer Aguilar - Chelsea 

D’Jimmy Brutus - Boston

Terry Burdick - Lynn 

Miachael Depersis - Lynn 

Ariana Lopez - Everett

Wilfredo Martinez - East Boston/Boston

Emmanuel Ortiz - Salem 

Maria Zeyala  - Chelsea