On November 1, 2018, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) partnered with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to adapt and deliver the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP).
The curriculum is designed to help these professionals—who are responsible for land management and maintenance and operations of municipal parks throughout the country—renovate and/or redesign parks to as to make their communities more resilient.
In May od 2019, NRPA will host a 2.5-day NGICP training for park and/or affiliated professionals in Philadelphia in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. NRPA will award 25 applicants with scholarships to attend the training and sit for the certification exam. The application process opens on November 1, 2018 and closes on December 17, 2018.
“This training opportunity is an offering of NRPA’s Great Urban Parks Campaign, which aims to promote and advance green stormwater infrastructure projects in parks,” states Lori Robertson, NRPA’s director of conservation. “We are excited to partner with WEF to bring this training opportunity to park professionals to ensure they have the proper skills and knowledge to construct and maintain high quality green infrastructure projects in parks.”
NGICP provides the base-level skill set needed for entry-level workers to properly construct, inspect, and maintain green stormwater infrastructure. Designed to meet international best practice standards, NGICP is a tool that can be used to meet a wide range of needs, including professional development for existing professionals and as part of a larger workforce development effort to provide candidates with the technical skills necessary for employment. To date, almost 400 individuals have earned the NGICP certification.
“Green infrastructure provides many benefits to our environment and communities, from reducing stormwater pollution to beautifying areas, but it must be properly installed and maintained,” Eileen O’Neill, WEF executive director. “We are thrilled to partner with NRPA to provide a training program in green infrastructure for professionals at municipal parks throughout the country.”
NGICP offers opportunities to become a certified individual, program partner, trainer, supporter of certifications, and sponsor. NGICP also seeks to work with philanthropic groups to reach under-represented members of the workforce and rural communities.
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