Workers in Rhode Island will benefit from a grant of $3,720,000 to The Providence Plan. The organizations Energy Training Partnership will deliver pre-apprenticeship training in green construction for unemployed workers, partner with labor organizations to integrate green-training into existing apprenticeship curricula and upgrade the skills of journey-level trades workers in green technologies.
Todays announcement is part of the administrations long-term commitment to fostering both immediate economic revitalization and a clean energy future. Its an investment that will help American workers succeed while doing good, said Secretary Solis. Our outstanding award recipients were selected because their proposed projects will connect workers to career pathways in green industries and occupations through critical, diverse partnerships.
Through the Energy Training Partnership Grants being administered by the U.S. Department of Labors Employment and Training Administration, 25 projects will receive grants ranging from approximately $1.4 to $5 million. These grants are built on strategic partnerships requiring labor and business to work together. Training activities funded through this grant program will be individually tailored based on occupations and skills identified as in-demand in local areas around the country. Training programs will seek to prepare workers for a range of careers including: hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists, wind and energy auditors, and solar panel installers.
Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and Workforce Investment Boards. Bringing together the workforce expertise of these groups will allow grantees to develop programs that are responsive to the needs of both workers and employers, and that provide participants with the support needed to successfully complete training. The grantees will utilize these partnerships to design and distribute training approaches that lead to portable industry credentials and employment, including career opportunities in registered apprenticeship programs.
These grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative totaling $500 million to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The Department of Labor expects to release funding for two remaining green grant award categories over the next several weeks.
For a full listing and project description of each grant recipient, visit http://www.doleta.gov. To view a video or listen to radio actualities (in English and Spanish) with introductions to the green jobs training grants by Secretary Solis, visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/grants.