The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that 34 projects in 27 states have been selected to receive $29 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country.
These projects will provide green jobs training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services.
Using innovative approaches to weatherization training and standardized training curricula, the projects will help prepare weatherization workers, supervisors, and inspectors to work in the growing field of energy efficiency retrofits. The centers and programs will offer training using a combination of classroom, online, and hands-on learning tools.
This funding will support the expansion of eight existing weatherization training centers and the establishment of 26 new training centers, more than tripling the number of DOE-funded weatherization training centers nationally.
These investments continue to build on the Obama Administration’s efforts to build an energy retrofit industry. In March, Obama proposed the creation of the Homestar program to incentivize energy efficiency retrofits. And in April, Vice President Biden announced $452 million in funding for retrofit programs in 25 communities.
Under the Recovery Act, a total of $5 billion is earmarked for ramping up the pace of weatherization in the United States.
The training programs announced by the DOE support a range of public and private energy efficiency efforts, including the Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which has already funded the weatherization of nearly 200,000 homes since last February, using both Recovery Act and annual program funds.
These weatherization training centers are part of the Department’s broader Training and Technical Assistance program for weatherization, including a variety of online tools, a national training platform, certification and accreditation standards, program evaluations, quality assurance reviews, and peer mentoring.
"A well-trained workforce will be a crucial part of America’s clean
energy economy in the years ahead," said Deputy Secretary of Energy
Daniel Poneman. "These investments in efficiency training programs will
help build a foundation for long-term growth in America. Energy
efficiency improves the competitiveness of our economy, benefits the
environment, and puts Americans back to work."
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