by Marcia Wilson

Jay Hart: HAZWOPER Instructor

CPTC has launching a new feature, where we introduce you to members of our community on a regular basis. Inspired by “Wild Card with Rachael Martin,” the questions for “Beyond the Classroom” are selected randomly and meant to get at the personality of our subject. We hope you enjoy getting to know our college’s members – students, faculty, staff, alumni, board members – as much as we do.

Today, we will introduce you to Jay Hart, who, when asked his name, responded “preferably, Jay Hart.” But first, here’s a little background for context.

What is HAZWOPER?

It stands for the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, a standard codified by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  The training directly supports common work industries from construction and engineering to chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste disposal.

The 40-hour HAZWOPER course is offered through a partnership with Clover Park Technical College, the City of Tacoma, the EPA, and Goodwill.  Jay Hart, a CPTC graduate, has returned to the Lakewood campus as the HAZWOPER instructor.

This in-person course prepares job seekers for entry-level employment in environmental remediation and construction-related fields. Students are trained in core concepts in environmental science, site safety, and equipment handling, with certifications in areas such as HAZWOPER, OSHA 10, and asbestos abatement. The course blends hands-on instruction with industry-recognized credentials, offering a solid foundation for a sustainable career.

CPTC: Jay, thanks for taking the time to talk about your work here at Clover Park Technical College. You’ve managed to wear a few different hats since you started as a student and now you’re faculty, teaching the HAZWOPER course in Building 16.

Let’s start with the random card draw: Wild Card–Style Personal Questions. The rules are pretty simple: I don’t know what questions will be pulled from the cards, and neither will you!

Jay: Awesome! Let’s do this!

Card 1:  If your younger self could see you now, what would surprise them most?

I am not the same person I used to be. I think a lot of people can, and should, be able to say the same. If my younger self could see me now, I’m not sure if he’d be disappointed or proud, but I think he’d be surprised that I willingly chose to stay in school for another 4 years after escaping high school. I still managed to take a gap year (thank you, COVID), which everyone told me was a mistake. I was told that I would lose momentum, lose interest, and start to fail before I even began. It turned out to be a gift. While navigating ridiculous world circumstances, I won some extra time to explore myself, and discover the right opportunity for me. I found Clover Park Technical College.

Card 2:  (Technical College Focus) How do you explain your program to friends or family who don’t know much about it?

I joined their Environmental Science Program in 2021, and have now graduated with my Bachelor of Applied Science in 2025. Throughout this program I learned the scientific basis of environmental issues and how they affect ecological systems and human communities. I’ve gotten to study a variety of natural sciences including chemistry, ecology, hydrology and geology. Then how these sciences apply to environmental law, environmental justice, and how to navigate restoration of damaged ecosystems. I learned how to be kinder to our Earth, how to contribute to the solution. I enjoy applying my degree in environmental remediation and education now that I’m in the work force.

CPTC: Excellent! And now, here’s a question from…

Card 3: Human Stories & Values:  Who’s been a mentor or role model for you here, and what have they taught you?

Jay: At Clover Park, my primary professors were Derek Faust and Kathryn Smith. They guided us through the material necessary to understand and care about the topics at hand. Through them, I learned a lot of discipline; specifically, the kind that makes me start an essay 2 days before it’s due rather than the morning of. They foster passion in the issues they cover and prepared me for success outside of education. I grew in my critical thinking and communication skills that made it possible for me to feel capable coming out of school. Success is more than a job title to me. I want a job I can feel proud of accomplishing, a job that aligns with my values.

And for our final card: What’s a tool (literal or metaphorical) you can’t live without?

I’m a part time educator, and a part-time still-figuring-it-out. If it weren’t for having a color-coded calendar, I would never make it to a single appointment or event. I never would have graduated. The key to my [scheduling] success is that I like colorful pens more than I hate updating a calendar. I’m years past being the 12-year-old scoffing at the idea of keeping a planner, let alone the idea of going back to school!

CPTC: Jay, thanks for your time with us! We are glad to have you back here at CPTC.