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New York announces $11.6M to develop clean energy industry workforce

New York announces $11.6M to develop clean energy industry workforce
20 MW Energy Storage Project in Franklin County (Courtesy: New York Power Authority)

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $11.6 million in funding to support clean energy industry workforce development initiatives in New York State.

\The New York Power Authority Board of Trustees approved the funding Tuesday, which stems from a NYPA commitment in the 2023-24 Enacted State Budget. It will largely support the efforts of the state Office of Just Energy Transition (OJET), which was established within the New York State Department of Labor last year to connect workers to opportunities for jobs in the clean energy economy through upskilling and training with a focus on serving those who are traditionally underrepresented, especially within disadvantaged communities.

“As we develop a clean energy economy in New York State, we’re ensuring that we have a workforce ready and able to fill the needed jobs of tomorrow,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will support critical programs for New Yorkers looking to develop skills in the emerging energy sector so that everyone can participate in our green energy future.”

Four new workforce training programs will be launched with initial funding: two administered through NYSDOL and two administered by NYPA, the United States’ largest state public power organization. The programs will incorporate wraparound services that include assistance with transportation, childcare, stable housing, food, and more. NYPA and NYSDOL will collaborate on programs related to workforce training, retraining, and apprenticeships related to preparing workers for employment and work in the renewable energy field, as well as programs to train or retrain utility workers.

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In this first tranche of spending, NYPA will provide NYSDOL with $5 million to expand or create clean energy training programs and pre-apprenticeship opportunities and provide wrap-around services for individuals participating in them. Projects supported must provide training or pre-apprenticeship programs in building electrification, renewable energy, electric vehicle charging, or energy-intensive industries. To learn more, visit the OJET webpage.

NYSDOL also will receive $4 million to create opportunities for local workforce development boards to support transitioning and residential workers. The funds will support transitioning workers in either upskilling or reskilling for the renewable energy field from fossil fuel jobs and provide residential worker support in weatherization and building performance. The funds will include wrap-around services to help with childcare, transportation, housing stability, food, mental health services, substance use treatment, and life-skills training.

“We at the Power Authority understand that our clean energy transition needs to put more New Yorkers to work,” said NYPA Chairman John R. Koelmel. “This more than $11 million in funding is an investment in the state’s workforce so that more New Yorkers—especially those from disadvantaged communities—will have opportunity and access to training for the jobs we’ll rely on to build the power grid of the future.”

“Preparing the state’s workforce for the growing renewable energy field is a critical step in transitioning to a clean energy economy in New York,” added NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “We are eager to collaborate with the Department of Labor and local and regional communities to develop workforce training programs that will qualify New Yorkers, especially those in disadvantaged communities, to work in the renewable energy field. Together we will fill gaps in the labor market with new energy industry workers that will help us meet the long-term electricity needs of New York consumers and businesses for decades to come.”

The Power Authority (as part of its workforce development priorities) also has plans to invest $2.6 million to launch two workforce development initiatives.

In the first, NYPA will collaborate with training providers to develop technical training opportunities, hands-on experience, paid internships, and full-time jobs for people entering the workforce. NYPA will advance training opportunities for traditional utility workers to ensure both new and current employees have the requisite skills and qualifications to participate in New York’s clean energy field. The first phase of the initiative, which will cost $2 million, will be regionally focused, providing employment training and employment opportunities for residents in disadvantaged communities located in the vicinity of NYPA power projects. NYPA will issue an RFP to seek potential partnership opportunities with interested parties.

The second NYPA workforce development initiative will be in collaboration with Say Yes Buffalo. NYPA will be providing $600,000 to the firm’s Youth Apprenticeship Program, which will place recent public high school graduates in one-to-three-year structured work-based learning apprenticeships at committed industry partners in high-demand sectors. It combines paid on-the-job learning, professional mentorship, and aligned educational training and credentialing to ensure historically underserved youth have equitable access to and retention in secure, mid-wage, mid-skill jobs with room to grow. The expectation is that this program will grow to serve as many as 200 high school students as it matures.

“We are extremely grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York Power Authority for this investment in good jobs for students in the region,” noted Say Yes Buffalo CEO David Rust. “This investment will provide students the opportunity to earn apprenticeships in business operations, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and the culinary field, ultimately leading to jobs with starting salaries between $45,000 and $65,000 at completion at Buffalo private sector employers. Access to good paying jobs is critical for the long-term health and vitality in the region, and we are happy to partner with New York State on this critical workforce initiative.”

In addition to its new workforce training commitments, the 2023-24 Enacted State Budget provided NYPA with enhanced authority to plan, design, develop, finance, construct, own, operate, maintain and improve renewable energy generation and storage projects—either alone or in collaboration with other entities—to help support the state’s renewable energy goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, maintain an adequate and reliable supply of electric power and energy in the state, and support the new REACH program, which will enable low-income and moderate-income electricity customers to receive bill credits through the production of renewable energy by NYPA. NYPA will publish its first biennial strategic plan for renewable energy development in January 2025.

To learn more about opportunities for clean energy jobs, upskilling, and training in your community, join the Office of Just Energy Transition’s email list by signing up on OJET’s webpage.

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