IAM District Lodge 24 in Portland, OR, will share in a $5 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership to provide job training in renewable energy industries. The grant is part of nearly $100 million of green jobs training grants authorized by the Recovery Act of 2009.
According to the grant’s project description, the aim is to “build a skilled workforce to support companies that generate power, and assist local manufacturers in retooling their workforce.”
“America needs to train and re-train our workers to meet and sustain the skills needed in today’s global competition,” said Western Territory GVP Gary Allen. “Congratulations to Directing Business Representative Bob Petroff and District 24 for going after and receiving this job-training grant money.”
District 24 is part of a joint venture that includes labor organizations, training schools and renewable energy companies. Together, the partnership aims to expand workers’ skills to adapt to changing needs of green employers, and will educate and train unemployed and dislocated workers with the skills necessary to work in the green industry.
“Our outstanding award recipients were selected because their proposed projects will connect workers to career pathways in green industries and occupations through critical, diverse partnerships,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in announcing the grants.
