US DOL Announces $40 million in green job training funds
Grant Applications Due: March 29, 2011 by 4pm Eastern Time
The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $40 million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Title I, Subtitle D, Section 171(d), Public Law 105-220 for the Green Jobs Innovation Fund (GJIF) to increase the number of individuals completing training programs who receive industry-recognized credentials and to increase the number of individuals completing training programs for employment in green jobs.
ETA proposes to fund approximately five to eight grants to national and statewide organizations with local affiliates with existing career training programs to provide technical and basic skills training that lead to green job opportunities in at least six communities per grant with this SGA. With these grants, the Department is emphasizing critical steps along green career pathways by: 1) forging linkages between Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and/or 2) integrating the delivery of technical and basic skills training through community-based partnerships.
Full Announcement and Application information: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm
MassCEC Announces $734,000 available for 2nd Round of Pathways Out Of Poverty Grants
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: February 3, 2011
Contact: Kate Plourd (617) 315-9339, kplourd@MassCEC.com
MASSCEC ANNOUNCES “PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY” GREEN COLLAR JOB TRAINING FUNDS
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today announced a second round of grants available through the Pathways Out of Poverty Program, which funds green job training programs offered by clean energy companies, community-based nonprofit groups, educational institutions, and labor organizations throughout the Commonwealth.
“MassCEC’s Pathways Out of Poverty program offers multiple benefits – ensuring brighter economic horizons for residents in historically underprivileged communities of our state while helping to supply our growing clean energy business sector with the trained workforce necessary for continued growth,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., who chairs the MassCEC board.
“These grants will help create programs that are essential in ensuring that people throughout the Commonwealth have access to clean energy job training and real-world learning,” said MassCEC Executive Director Patrick Cloney.
Authorized by the Act Relative to Clean Energy signed into law by Governor Patrick in November 2009, MassCEC’s Pathways out of Poverty Program is designed to jumpstart training in clean energy careers for low- and moderate-income residents. Eligible projects must include on-the-job-training (OJT) models that serve the target population and provide targeted services and activities that address employer workforce needs and optimize opportunities for participant learning, career development and economic advancement within the clean energy industry. Projects must assure that individuals will improve their economic circumstances as a result of participation in the program.
MassCEC will award a total of $734,000 in grants to projects through competitive selection. Funding for the Pathways Out of Poverty program includes $600,000 from MassCEC, and $134,000 from the Commonwealth’s State Energy Sector Partnership grant, awarded to the Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Funds provided through the State Energy Sector Partnership are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
In 2009, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in collaboration with MassCEC, issued the nation’s first state-funded Pathways Out of Poverty program. Based on the requirements of the 2008 Green Jobs Act, $1 million was awarded to five grantees in Lowell, Brockton, Worcester, Springfield/Holyoke and Pittsfield to expand the clean energy workforce by boosting skills of low-income workers. The five projects trained 196 individuals in clean energy skill programs. Of those trained, 106 were either placed in full time employment, began their own businesses or decided to continue with school by matriculating into for-credit community college programs. Results equate to an average placement rate of approximately 60 percent across the training programs. The program also resulted in more than 340 industry-recognized certificates and credentials being awarded to trainees, which will assist trainees in building a career pathway and make them more competitive candidates for jobs.
“It is critical that we offer cutting-edge training programs for workers to break into innovative industries such as the clean energy sector,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Joanne F. Goldstein. “This collaboration is a model and creatively unites community organizations, labor, federal and state agencies to help low-income workers gain skills for this burgeoning field. As a result of the programs generated from the 2008 round of these grants, workers in several areas of the state were placed in sustainable, green jobs.”
“This investment expands on the ongoing work of the State Energy Sector Partnership, a $5.973 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration that is supporting programs to prepare Massachusetts residents for jobs in the clean energy sector,” said Commonwealth Corporation President and CEO Nancy Snyder. “Leveraging these funds with funds from the Clean Energy Center will help us to serve more residents who need significant assistance in building their skills if they are to benefit from clean energy job opportunities.”
The deadline for submitting proposals is April 15, 2011. For more information about the solicitations and how to apply, click here.
Visit our website:………………………………………………..www.MassCEC.com
Follow MassCEC on Twitter:……………………… www.twitter.com/MassCEC
SkillWorks Releases a Call for Green Sector Concept Papers
Dear Friends,
Over the past two years, Greater Boston organizations have competed for and been awarded significant energy efficiency training dollars, particularly for skills training in weatherization auditing and installation. Yet, other green sector jobs, in areas such as clean and waste water management, recycling, deconstruction, and even back office support of energy efficiency field work, have received less attention and been less defined.
In order to uncover and support employment and training opportunities in these other green industries, SkillWorks’ Green Collar Career Pathways Initiative is pleased to announce the release of our Call for Green Sector Concept Papers.
We are looking for new or existing workforce partnerships and/or research projects in particular green industries for potential SkillWorks’ funding.
Eligible Green Industries are:
* Water Management
* Waste Management
* Recycling
* Deconstruction
* Energy Efficiency Admin Support
Click here for full Call for Concept Papers
(Call will also be available on our website)
Concept papers will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, anytime from July 22, 2010 through August 31, 2010.
In order to ensure a wide distribution, please feel free to forward to your networks.
Sincerely,
Patricia Maguire
Program Associate
SkillWorks: Green Collar Career Pathways Initiative
