workforce development

The NoMi Pharm Boards program is an intergenerational initiative connecting youth, adults, and seniors to foster education, sustainability, and community engagement. Participants learn to design landscape features, work with low tech tools as well power and none power tools, grow various items from germinating seeds to seedling installation, and maintain gardens that serve as functional art spaces and sustainable food sources. This program uniquely integrates the E-STEAMJ curriculum (Ecology, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Justice), providing hands-on education tailored to various age groups:

• Youth: Students engage in creative, age-appropriate activities from arts and crafts to planting seeds and learning about ecological systems. Older students mentor younger participants, building leadership and teamwork skills.
• Adults and Seniors: These participants contribute their life experience to mentor younger generations while learning cutting-edge urban farming techniques such as deconstruction, upcycling, water harvesting, alternative energy, and various styles of ponics.

Through a minimum 4-week training (2 days a week), participants work collaboratively to create justice in their communities by developing concepts for increasing food security, addressing food deserts, and fostering healthier lifestyles. This program connects generations, fostering collaboration and a shared sense of purpose.

Our 6-week paid training program (4 days a week, 6 hours daily) prepares participants to work with hempcrete, a fire-retardant, non-toxic, and carbon-negative construction material. Hempcrete is the future of sustainable construction, and GrowUs is at the forefront of the industry by addressing current needs while envisioning a greener future. Only way to get more farmers in board for cultivation is by creating the workforce that will drive the need for industry in manufacturing this product. GrowUs and partners are looking to lead the nation in developing leaders for the industry of tomorrow today.

Participants will explore the history, present, and future of the hemp industry, from its agricultural roots to its applications in eco-friendly construction. The curriculum includes:

• Certification in pack-in-place hempcrete insulation installation and blown insulation using the Ereasy machine (in partnership with Americhanvre).
• Training in hempcrete retrofitting and affordable housing applications, providing participants with versatile and in-demand skills.
• Real-world projects designed to prepare participants to enter the workforce as certified technicians, even with no prior experience.

Clifton Williams (Cliff the Gardener), a 2009 graduate of Dunwoody College's carpentry program and a BPI-certified weatherization trainer, leads this program. Cliff is also a certified hempcrete installer and trainer, ensuring participants receive expert guidance.

The Earthship 101 program introduces participants to the revolutionary building techniques pioneered by Michael Reynolds. These structures utilize recycled materials like tires, bottles, and cans, creating self-sustaining homes that address housing affordability and ecological concerns.

This 6-week paid training program (4 days a week, 6 hours daily) provides hands-on experience with:

• Upcycling techniques to repurpose waste into building materials.
• Creating sustainable systems for water catchment, renewable energy, and waste management.
• Understanding Earthship design principles and their applications for micro-resilience hubs in urban settings.

This 12-week paid program (4 days a week, 6 hours daily) immerses participants in the construction of eco-friendly tiny homes, focusing on sustainable practices and high-quality craftsmanship. Designed to accommodate a wide range of skill levels, the program provides:

• A comprehensive introduction to construction trades, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and insulation.
• Hands-on experience in building and installing frames in tiny homes that adhere to Minnesota HF1872 standards.
• Instruction on sustainable materials such as hempcrete for fire safety and carbon reduction.

Participants work collaboratively to build fully functional, state-of-the-art tiny homes. These homes can serve as affordable housing solutions or as prototypes for future micro-resilience hubs.

GrowUs is deeply rooted in the principles of faith, service, and community transformation. As a missionary to North Minneapolis since 2009, Clifton Williams has dedicated his life to restorative justice, ecological education, and workforce empowerment. His journey from personal transformation to community leadership serves as the foundation of GrowUs’ mission.

Our Faith in Action Initiative seeks to partner with congregations to:

• Host workshops, speaking engagements, and community events to spread awareness of GrowUs programs.
• Collaboratively identify and secure funding sources to expand workforce training and housing initiatives.
• Develop innovative solutions like hempcrete housing and Earthship-inspired resilience hubs to meet the needs of underserved communities.

This is more than just training—it’s a movement to equip individuals with the tools to rebuild their communities sustainably and equitably.