Careers Remediating Environmental Waste (CREW) Program

Why Study Environmental Cleanup?

Environmental cleanup professionals are in high demand and earn competitive salaries across New Mexico, ranging from $50,000 to $70,000+ annually. As a certified environmental field technician, you’ll be on the front lines of restoring ecosystems, remediating industrial sites, and building a sustainable future for our state.

Why Study Environmental Cleanup at San Juan College?

San Juan College’s CREW program is designed to be flexible to accommodate your needs, putting you on a path to success! If you’re a worker impacted by the recent changes in New Mexico’s energy sector, you may qualify for assistance to support your training, including:

• A $2,000 Monthly Stipend
• Childcare Support
• Housing Support

CREW program assistance is provided in part by the New Mexico Energy Transition Act in partnership with the Center for Workforce Development and the New Mexico Environment Department.   

What You'll Learn in the Careers Remediating Environmental Waste Program

Jumpstart your career in environmental remediation in as little as two terms. With four levels of certification, this program ensures you gain the essential skills needed to succeed in the field. Each certification prepares you for hands-on work cleaning and assessing former uranium mines and mills. You’ll earn valuable micro-credentials, helping you build a competitive, industry-focused resume that sets you apart.

Environmental Field Technician Level 1

Classes for the Environmental Field Technician Level 1 Certificate can be completed in 5 weeks with a start date to be announced. 

This certification level teaches you:

• How to recognize the Safety, Health, & Environmental evolution and how human error has contributed to accidents and injuries in the process industry workplace
• How to identify and recognize the types of hazards in the environmental workplace
• How to identify and define different regulatory requirements for OSHA, HAZWOPER, DOT, and EPA
• How to manage documents, tables, lists, charts, worksheets, and presentations
• How to perform operations for Microsoft Office applications
• Environmental law compliance
• The range of regulatory policies that pertain to workplace safety, including OSHA standards

Environmental Field Technician Level 2

Classes for the Environmental Field Technician Level 2 Certificate can be completed in 3 ½ months with a start date to be announced. 

This certification level teaches you:

• How to recognize the safety, health, & environmental evolution and how human error has contributed to accidents and injuries in the process industry workplace
• How to identify and recognize the types of hazards in the environmental industry workplace
• How to identify and define different regulatory requirements for OSHA, HAZWOPER, DOT, and EPA
• How to manage documents, tables, lists, charts, worksheets, and presentations
• How to perform operations for Microsoft applications
• Environmental laws compliance
• The range of regulatory policies that pertain to workplace safety, including OSHA standards
• The necessary skills and knowledge to obtain your Class A CDL through hands-on training
• Defensive driving, Forklift, Fire, Hazmat
• Skills in reading maps and regulations 

Environmental Field Technician Level 3

Classes for the Environmental Field Technician Level 3 Certificate can be completed in 4 ½ months with a start date to be announced. 

This certification level teaches you:

• How to recognize the Safety, Health, & Environmental evolution and how human error has contributed to accidents and injuries in the process industry workplace
• How to identify and recognize the types of hazards in the environmental industry workplace, and environmental contaminated sites
• How to identify and define different regulatory requirements for OSHA, HAZWOPER, DOT, and EPA.
• How to manage documents, tables, lists, charts, worksheets, and presentations
• How to perform operations for Microsoft applications
• Environmental law compliance
• The range of regulatory policies that pertain to workplace safety, including OSHA standards.
• Defensive driving, Forklift, Fire, Hazmat
• Skills in reading maps and regulations
• Basic principles, functions, origins, use, interpretation, and cartographic design of map
• Map projections, scale, direction, grids, color theory, display of qualitative and quantitative data, thematic, general reference, and special purpose maps

Environmental Field Technician Level 4

Class date for the Environmental Field Technician Level 4 Certificate is to be announced.

This certification level teaches you:

• How to recognize safety, health, & environmental evolution and how human error has contributed to accidents and injuries in the environmental industry workplace
• How to identify and recognize the types of hazards in the workplace, and environmental contaminated sites
• How to manage documents, tables, lists, charts, worksheets, and presentations
• How to perform operations for Microsoft Office applications
• Environmental law compliance
• The range of regulatory policies that pertain to workplace safety, including OSHA standards
• Skills in reading maps and regulations
• Basic principles, functions, origins, use, interpretation, and cartographic design of map
• Map projections, scale, direction, grids, color theory, display of qualitative and quantitative data, thematic, general reference, and special purpose maps

Careers and Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be prepared for careers as Environmental Field Technicians. You'll gain the necessary skills for fieldwork involving environmental cleanup and assessment work at former uranium mines and mills. The CREW program provides several certifications that are useful in the broader environmental industry.

People with these certifications work at government agencies and private companies, focusing on environmental monitoring, cleanup, and compliance.

The median annual salary for environmental technician professionals in 2023 was $50,660.