Washington's Energy Sector Partnership Grant
The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board) a $5,973,635 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant to train Washington state workers in high demand occupations needed for energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings.
Senator Murray Announcement
Three-page summary of successful grant application
Staff Contact: Beth Meyer .
State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grant Q&A
What is the purpose of the grant?
The Energy Sector Partnership Grant provides training for targeted populations in high demand, professional-technical occupations needed for energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings. This initiative will create a ready supply of skilled workers for the energy efficiency sector and put participants on career paths with recognized credentials in hand.
Who benefits from this training?
This training is targeted to both skilled workers in the construction field as well as new workers:
- Workers in the construction industry who have become dislocated due to national energy and environmental policy and/or the current economic downturn.
- Workers currently employed in the industry but at risk of losing their jobs unless they can update their skills in energy efficiency.
- Unemployed and underemployed and new workers especially those who are:
- At-risk youth.
- Low-income adults.
- People with disabilities.
Veterans, including past and present members of reserve components of the Armed Forces, will receive priority for service. How will training be delivered?
The Workforce Board has contracted with three regional Workforce Development Councils (Seattle-King County, Snohomish County, and Spokane Area). Each Workforce Development Council subcontracts with certain area community and technical colleges and other partners, including Build It Smart, a statewide labor-management non-profit who will provide training for journey-level workers statewide and add certificated green skills training to area building trade apprenticeship programs.
How many participants will benefit from the grant?
Through their regional initiatives, the three Workforce Development Councils will each serve from 190 to 240 participants. Statewide, the Built It Smart projects will serve over 4,800 participants. In total, there are expected to be over 5,400 participants with over 4,700 of those expected to be placed in energy efficiency related jobs as a result of the training.
What kind of training will be offered through participating community and technical colleges in King, Snohomish and Spokane counties through this grant?
Examples include:
--Commercial and public building retrofit
--Post-retrofit building management
--Building operators and engineers
--Sustainability/energy managers
--Energy efficiency technician
--Energy management analyst
--Photovoltaic installer
--Commercial and residential energy auditors
How can jobseekers connect to these opportunities?
Click the links below to view training opportunties near you:
All jobseekers should connect with one of the state’s WorkSource Centers. Your local WorkSource career center has a vast array of resources that go beyond this grant in helping jobseekers connect with training and employment.
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