FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2010
Contact: Dave Rubin, Vermont Green Project Director
Central Vermont Community Action Council
802-477-5086
Liz Schlegel, CVCAC, 802-279-4695
CVCAC Develops Statewide Energy Training Partnership
Vermont Green Seeks To Build Green Jobs Sector
Barre, VT – Central Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC) is on track to distribute nearly $5,000,000 in ARRA funds to train Vermonters in solar, wind-power, weatherization, and other green jobs by the end of 2011.
The $4.86 million grant awarded to CVCAC by the US Department of Labor in January, is to coordinate green-job training across the state. CVCAC has created Vermont Green, (Vermont Growing Renewable Energy/Efficiency Employment Network), a statewide partnership to identify, create, and sponsor various training opportunities. The diverse array of partners includes private businesses, education institutions, organizations working directly with job seekers, and local government officials.
Similar to many Energy Training Partnership grant programs across the country, Vermont Green works with businesses to upgrade worker skills in renewable energy and energy efficiency fields. Corporate partners include Barre-based Northern Power Systems and SB Electronics, and Country Home Products of Vergennes. Under these partnerships, workers will be trained in the necessary skills of green industry manufacturing, working on wind turbine, solar and electric vehicle components.
“The ‘green’ sector of the economy offers a tremendous opportunity for Vermont,” notes project director David Rubin of CVCAC. “We want to make sure Vermonters workers can get the training they need, and Vermont employers can re-train their employees, so we can grow these good jobs in our state.”
One particularly important element of Vermont Green is that it is designed to bring unemployed or underemployed workers into the green sector. Career development counselors located in partner agencies around Vermont work one-on-one with job-seekers to upgrade their skills and find opportunities in green job fields.
Job-seekers are encouraged to contact their local Community Action agencies or Vermont Works For Women, or the Vermont Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs (VCRHYP) to get in touch with a Vermont Green counselor. Businesses are also served through the Vermont Green program; the list of eligible jobs and training opportunities covers many sectors of the Vermont economy. Interested businesses should contact CVCAC’s Vermont Green office at 802-477-5086 or visit www.vtgreen.org.
# # #
About Central Vermont Community Action Council
Founded in 1965, Central Vermont Community Action Council helps people achieve economic sufficiency with dignity through individual and family development. CVCAC is part of the nationwide network of Community Action Agencies; a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency and a Community Development Corporation. The organization serves over 15,000 low-income Vermonters each year in Washington, Orange and Lamoille counties and offers a number of statewide programs. www.cvcac.org
Weighing in: