CA Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Award of $27 Million to Fuel Clean Energy Jobs Training Program

10/02/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the 34 recipients of $27 million in grants jump-starting the California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program (CEWTP), the largest state-sponsored green jobs training program in the nation announced by the Governor on August 31, 2009.

Under the this first phase of the program, anticipated to train 5,600 participants, workers will be prepared for hands-on jobs, such as installing solar panels and maintaining electric vehicles to computer programming and researching fuel cell technologies, to help develop the state’s low-carbon, clean energy economy of tomorrow.

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“California’s goals in renewable energy development, climate change reduction, clean transportation and green building are driving green job growth – and these funds are pivotal to building a workforce to meet that demand,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “This program represents the kind of innovative thinking needed to steer our economy toward a greener future while targeting the unemployed, underemployed and new workforce members at a time when we must do everything possible to help Californians return to work.”

Governor Schwarzenegger’s California Recovery Taskforce, in collaboration with the Green Collar Jobs Council, the California Energy Commission, the Employment Development Department, the Employment Training Panel and the California Workforce Investment Board, lead a partnership of agencies, organizations, and employers in developing 21st century training programs for workers with all levels of experience.

Coupled with a dollar-for-dollar match leveraged from public-private partnerships, the CEWTP promotes the use of industry sector strategies for training workers in occupations related to energy efficiency, water efficiency, renewable energy (distributed generation and utility-scale), and alternative and renewable transportation technologies.

Program participants will receive a variety of green-related degrees and certificates such as certified green building professional, home energy rater, certified photovoltaic installer, water/energy auditor, and weatherization specialist/auditor.

A total of 34 grantees throughout California were chosen to receive program funding through a competitive process. They anticipate training 5,600 participants for clean jobs in weatherization and building retrofit construction, solar installation, green plumbing and energy auditing among others.

This collaborative effort combines funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the State Energy Program, Workforce Investment Act Governor’s Discretionary 15 percent portion of the federal Workforce Investment Act, Assembly Bill 118 Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program plus public-private partnership matching funds.

Source: California Governor