Marin County Receives $399,000 Grant for Green Jobs

Marin Employment Connection Receives $399,000 Grant

Grant Provides 100 People with Vocational Training

Marin Employment Connection has received a $399,000 grant to provide training and certifications in the green economy. This program will provide 100 unemployed, underemployed or incumbent workers with vocational training. 

Project GREEN (Green Regional Education Employment Northbay) builds on the popular retraining program started in 2009 from the California Clean Energy Workforce (CEWTP) grant. The CEWTP grant was launched in collaboration with Solano, Sonoma and Napa counties to provide green building career training for unemployed and underemployed construction workers.  Project GREEN will address six targeted sectors including: green building (upgrades and retrofits), renewable energy (solar photovoltaic design, installation and sales), clean transportation (clean vehicle technology), water and waste water, energy efficiency and green business services.

“With the scholarship support provided by Project GREEN, we are excited to see this important work continue. As more tradesmen are trained in green building principles and techniques, there are more skilled candidates to pull from when a new hire opportunity occurs in our businesses,” stated Klif Knoles, Executive Director, Marin Builders Association.

This funding, coupled with a dollar-for-dollar match leveraged from public-private partnerships, promotes the use of industry sector strategies for training workers in occupations related to the green business sector in Marin.  Green business sectors include energy efficiency, water efficiency, renewable energy (distributed generation and utility-scale) and alternative and renewable transportation technologies.

The project will consist of an aggressive outreach and recruitment program with a client centered approach to development. The training sequence will have a foundation in environmental literacy and conservation. Learning pathways will build on the foundation with soft skills, math remediation, job search and support services. Technical trainings will also be offered as appropriate depending on the participants’ background, skills, experience and interest.  

Watch a video testimonial from Rick Mozer, Project GREEN participant.

For more information, please attend one of the upcoming Project GREEN information sessions.  Session dates and times are online at www.MarinEmployment.org.  Information is also available by calling (415) 473-3300.