News & Media

You Should Know… Eli Allen

ANDY BELT, BALTIMORE JEWISH TIMES — Eli Allen not only helps people find jobs, but also helps the health of the planet at the same time. The 30-year-old Bolton Hill resident is the head of Civic Works’ Baltimore Center for Green Careers (BCGC), an organization that seeks to find job placement for underemployed and unemployed individuals in environmentally friendly careers.

Under Allen, two new career tracks for BCGC have started in solar and stormwater management (in addition to environmental remediation and home weatherization). With this expansion, job placement in the program has doubled to 120 annually.

How did you get involved in finding people green careers?

I started with Civic Works in 2009, but I had done some work with the EPA and am passionate about the environment. At the time, I saw that there was a growing area with Civic Works that connected people to jobs [with] access to good-paying careers while also advancing positive environmental outcomes and strengthening communities through their work.

What does this work mean to you?

It’s incredibly important to me. It’s being at the intersection of work that improves the environment and expands job access. Every day, people come through our doors with the drive and motivation to succeed in a career but haven’t had the opportunity to develop the skills or had an employer willing to give them a chance. We’re building on these industries that have a need for talented workers. We’re part of that movement to ensure that every worker has the skills, experience and support to be successful. We’re opening up access rather than locking people out of jobs.

Read the whole interview online at the Baltimore Jewish Times.