The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided $750 million for a program of competitive grants for worker training and placement in high-growth and emerging industry sectors, including construction.
Of that amount, $500 million is targeted for research, labor exchange, and job training projects that prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy as defined in the Green Jobs Act, including: energy-efficient building, construction, and retrofitting; renewable electric power; deconstruction and materials use; and energy efficiency assessment for residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Under provisions of the Green Jobs Act, which was signed into law as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, priority for grants would be given to those entities that train in both the areas listed above and target the following populations:
• Workers impacted by national energy and environmental policy;
• Individuals in need of updated training related to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries;
• Veterans, or past and present members of reserve components of the Armed Forces;
• Unemployed individuals;
• Individuals, including at-risk youth, seeking employment pathways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency; and
• Formerly incarcerated, adjudicated, non-violent offenders.
These competitive grants will be administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which plans to issue Solicitations for Grant Awards (SGA) no later than June 30, 2009. The SGA will provide specific requirements for use of the funds, certification, data reporting, performance measures, and other necessary information.
Chapters that engage in training programs, especially those connected with a joint-labor management training program, should think about ways to connect the targeted populations listed above with construction training, particularly jobs connected with building renewable energy sources (such as windmill farms), new green construction, and retrofitting of existing construction. The Obama Administration is very focused on connecting low-income populations with “green jobs.”
At this point, there is no additional information available on the grants. However, AGC is supporting legislation that is expected to be introduced next week by Congressman John Kline, Minnesota Republican, that would eliminate the Green Jobs Act’s current mandate that eligible nonprofit entities partner with “industry, including public or private employers, and labor organizations, including joint labor-management training programs.”
Under Congressman Kline’s amendment, joint labor-management training programs would still qualify for the program, but merit shop training programs also would be eligible.
AGC of America will continue to publish updated information on our Web site: www.agc.org and through our publications, including The Knowledge Source.
DOL will publish the grant opportunities on its Recovery Web site.
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