COD and EDA to Provide Training for New ‘Green’ Jobs
A contract between COD’s Center for Training and Development and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency (EDA)/Workforce Development Division will provide training to unemployed and displaced workers in the region. The contract is funded in the amount of $1,150,800 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
This is the second major funding initiative in a week that will position COD to develop workforce training projects to stimulate the economy by training unemployed and under employed workers for new green-economy jobs. The state’s Clean Energy Workforce Training Program grants were announced last week when COD was awarded more than $800,000 to establish a program to prepare skilled workers for the emerging utility scale solar energy industry in the Coachella Valley/Inland Empire region.
The new related EDA contract will fund a number of training offerings designed to give new skills to those who are seeking employment in a very competitive job market. Offerings include OSHA 10, 20, and 30, Career Assessment, Next Skills Institute, Algebra Refresher, and Wind Turbine Technician Training. “These courses are intensive, short-term workforce training courses that can give job seekers an edge in the market or new skills to help them obtain employment,” said Ralene Friend, Director of COD’s Workplace Learning Resource Center. “This is a true education/agency partnership that is working hard to improve opportunities for unemployed people in our County.”
The previously announced award combining Recovery Act funds, through the California Energy Commission and California Employment Development, supports regional workforce training projects that will stimulate the state’s economy by training unemployed and under employed individuals for new green-economy jobs. College of the Desert was awarded $815,843 to establish the Desert Region Renewable Energy Training Program. The purpose of this program is to prepare skilled workers for the emerging utility-scale solar energy industry in our region. These funds will be used for outreach, eligibility, advising, curriculum development, training services, case management, and job placement for unemployed and underemployed individuals.
Riverside County EDA, Palo Verde Community College, and others will partner with COD on this regional workforce development project.
“Our region will see significant growth in the development of solar power generation facilities over the next few years. The training and support services provided by this partnership will make it possible for unemployed people in our area to benefit from the new jobs this industry is creating,” states Larry McLaughlin, Director of COD’s Advanced Transportation Technology and Energy Center.
Riverside County EDA/Workforce Development will determine participant eligibility and provide job search assistance. All course fees will be covered for those that are eligible. For more information about training program eligibility, please contact the Workforce Development Center at 44-199 Monroe in Indio, 863-2500.