Grants for ‘Green’ Job Training

Vestina F. Crayton, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability.

On January 6th the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of approximately $100 million dollars in grant funds for ‘green’ training. $28 million is earmarked for the communities that were impacted by the auto industry reorganization. These funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The DOL has made ‘green’ jobs a primary focus. To show their commitment, in November 2009, the DOL awarded $55 million dollars in grant funds to various organizations for workforce training.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis “believes that strong partnerships are the key to the country’s success in strengthening not just training programs but also employers and industries. That’s why the training initiatives at the Department of Labor frequently involve strong partnerships with community colleges, local businesses, and workforce development boards.” Source: Department of Labor

These DOL grant funds will assist unemployed individuals with acquiring the critical skills needed to take advantage of emerging green industries. Areas of opportunities can be found in energy efficiency and the development of clean and renewable energy sources. Some of the careers of interest include but are not limited to solar panel installers, weatherization specialists, energy and wind workers and hybrid/electric auto specialists.

What does this mean for Florida? Join Vestina F. Crayton, Urban Sustainability Extension Specialist for Pinellas County Extension’s Solutions in 30 Webinar Green Jobs on Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 12:15pm- 12:45pm to learn more.

References:

Department of Labor ‘Good Jobs, Safe Jobs, Green Jobs’ online article 2010 January 6

Florida Awarded $1.25 M Grant

Courtesy of the American Reinvestment Recovery Act 2009 (ARRA), Florida has received a grant for $1.25 million to conduct a statewide survey to identify green job opportunities. Once this information is compiled, the jobs will be listed on Florida’s online job bank Web site. This is just one of the many ways the stimulus dollars will be used to move Florida toward being more sustainable. Click here for more details on this story.

For more information about what is happening with ‘green’ jobs locally, register for the Green Job Market in Pinellas County Webinar at www.pinellascountyextension.org.

Green Jobs

Vestina F. Crayton, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability.

What exactly is a ‘green’ job? There has been much debate about this question. Workforce Florida, Inc. defines a green job as ‘” a green job increases the conservation and sustainability of natural resources for the benefit of Floridians. This includes jobs that reduce energy usage or lower carbon emissions, and protect Florida’s natural resources. Green jobs should provide worker-friendly conditions, pay sustainable wages and offer opportunities for continued skill training and career growth.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was created and nearly 800 billion dollars were allocated to help reenergize the economy and to support the need for our nation to become more sustainable.

Employers are diligently working to secure funds from these stimulus dollars to create jobs as well as design and implement training programs that will develop and enhance the skills of existing employees in targeted industries such as energy efficiency and renewable energy.

To learn more about the ‘green’ job industry, such as where are the stimulus dollars going, what jobs are being created, what training is required, and what the experts are saying about the employment forecast for this industry, register for the “Green Jobs” Webinar on Thursday, October 22, from 12:15 pm – 12:45 pm.