Funds Will Be Used to Boost Mile High Youth Corps Green Job-Training Capacity for Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Projects
Partners Include Denver OED, Colorado DOL, SkillBuild Colorado, Namaste Solar, Homebuilders Institute and Red Rocks Community College
Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today highlighted how nearly $100,000 in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will expand Mile High Youth Corps’ (MHYC) capacity to prepare young adults in Colorado for new jobs in clean energy, energy efficiency and natural resource restoration.
Specifically, the funding will be used to implement a strategy to improve and expand MHYC’s capacity to provide green jobs training to YouthBuild participants, with a specific focus on the energy?efficient building, construction and retrofit industry; the solar power industry; and the energy?efficient assessment industry.
“Thanks to Mile High Youth Corps, Colorado youth are getting quality experience and skills training, boosting their chances for success throughout their careers,” Senator Udall said. “This grant will help Mile High Youth Corps expand critical training opportunities in the key industries of the 21st century. Not only will it open doors for the next generation of workers, but it will help ensure our growing industries can continue to find skilled, well-trained employees here in Colorado.”
“Mile High Youth Corps does a great job making sure young adults in Colorado are ready to work and compete in the new economy,” said Bennet. “The jobs of the future are in emerging industries like clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. This funding will help Mile High Youth Corps provide young adults with the job skills they’ll need to prepare for that future and succeed in the 21st century.”
Key partners in this effort include the Denver Office of Economic Development, Colorado Department of Labor, SkillBuild Colorado, Namaste Solar, Homebuilders Institute, Red Rocks Community College.
The funding, which is part of the Green Capacity Building grant program, is intended to build the green training capacity of current Department of Labor grantees. Through these grants, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will help people acquire the skills needed to enter and advance in green industries and occupations by building the capacity of active DOL?funded training programs.
Under the program, grantees will provide education and training in the skills and competencies that are needed in green industries and occupations, and may bolster the capacity of their training programs through staff professional development, curriculum development, partnership development, the purchase of equipment, and where necessary, the hiring of additional staff.
Earlier this year, Bennet visited With Mile High Youth Corps in Denver to take part in team building activities. In his visit, Bennet announced nearly $700,000 to fund MHYC’s activities from the federal youth employment grant program.