SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday (Sept. 9) issued the following statement on a new state website that provides California with resources for jobs in such growing, sustainable industries as renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean transportation. The website, Clean Energy Jobs, is part of California’s Clean Energy Workforce Training Program (CEWTP), the largest state-sponsored green jobs training program in the nation.
“As California’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on green technology, the Clean Energy Jobs website highlights how the state’s community colleges and workforce investment boards, labor unions, and employers are working to meet the demand for trained workers,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “The site is a showcase for the training program in which government and private industry are coming together to make our state a leader in the new, sustainable economy. This program represents the kind of innovative thinking needed to steer our economy toward a greener future, while doing everything possible to help Californians return to work.”
Created by the California Energy Commission, the Clean Energy Jobs website describes 48 training programs throughout the state that are offered by local workforce investment boards, community colleges, labor and trade organizations, and private industry. The programs provide hands-on training for such jobs as installing solar panels and wind turbines, maintaining electric vehicles, installing water and energy-saving devices, and researching fuel cell technologies.
Announced by the Governor in August 2009, the CEWTP leverages public and private money to prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency, water efficiency, renewable energy, and alternative and renewable transportation. The program uses federal stimulus money from the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), with state, local and private funding, to provide nearly $100 million to help teach Californians green job skills. State funds come from a variety of sources including the State Energy Program, the Workforce Investment Act Governor’s Discretionary 15 percent portion of the federal Workforce Investment Act, and the Assembly Bill 118 Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program.
CEWTP is a collaboration of Governor Schwarzenegger’s California Recovery Taskforce, the Green Collar Jobs Council, the California Energy Commission, the Employment Development Department, the Employment Training Panel and the California Workforce Investment Board.
The Clean Energy Jobs website is at www.energy.ca.gov/cleanenergyjobs .
Governor Schwarzenegger created the California Recovery Task Force to track the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding coming into the state; work with President Barack Obama’s administration; help cities, counties, non-profits, and others access the available funding; ensure that the funding funneled through the state is spent efficiently and effectively; and maintain a Web site (www.recovery.ca.gov) that is frequently and thoroughly updated for Californians to be able to track the stimulus dollars.
