News/Press Releases

More stimulus dollars arrive in Marin County through the Marin Employment Connection powered by the Workforce Investment Board

Provided by Caran Cuneo, Business Services Liaison, Workforce Investment Board

On Friday, October 2, 2009, 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 announced the awards to 34 entities receiving California Clean Energy Workforce Training (CEWTP) grants.   The North Bay Employment Connection (Workforce Investment Board from Marin, Sonoma, Solano, and Napa) received the highest dollar award possible, $1,000,000.

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.

Marin 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. Statewide, it is anticipated there will be training for 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.