In Stadium Contract, a Prototype for Job Creation

Young people who've been in trouble with the law or with substance abuse often find that the jobs open to them are limited to fast food and other such dead-end work. But Elaine Hart, 25, who is learning how to laminate signs, says any hire "is a risk for the employer. You never know what someone is capable of."

Opponents of public investment in the baseball stadium scoffed at the idea that it would produce anything except the most menial jobs. But in addition to hundreds of construction jobs, the stadium is creating real, lasting positions in careers that, as Luc Brami says, "can really support a family."

Jobs at Gelberg pay $10 to $30 an hour, with full benefits. Many workers have been there for decades. Now, the company plans to expand its staff considerably, as retailers and office buildings order signs from the only supplier left in the city.

In the cavernous workshops -- where carpenters, welders, designers and other craftsmen create metal, acrylic and wooden signs -- pieces of the Nationals stadium emerge letter by letter: A giant red N stands ready to introduce the ballpark to fans come April. Yes, the sign will read "Nationals Park" because the naming rights haven't been sold yet. (Another bit of welcome news: They're making a sign to go above a Ben's Chili Bowl stand. The legendary U Street eatery will have an outpost at the ballpark.)

Someday, the Nationals will sell the stadium name, requiring a whole new batch of signs -- more work at Gelberg, which means more jobs for Artisans graduates. All from an investment the skeptics said wouldn't amount to anything but a bunch of beer vendors.

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