MassCEC Awards Second Round of Grants for Efficiency Skills Training Equipment

MASSACHUSETTS CLEAN ENERGY CENTER AWARDS GRANTS FOR EFFICIENCY SKILLS TRAINING EQUIPMENT 

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today awarded grants to five organizations to purchase demonstration and training equipment to prepare students and clients for opportunities in the clean energy sector.  

”These grants will help schools and institutions across the Commonwealth prepare Massachusetts residents for rewarding careers while ensuring that our burgeoning clean energy industry has the highly trained workforce it needs to grow and flourish,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, who chairs the MassCEC board of directors.

“These projects will provide essential real-world learning platforms for clean energy training in this potentially high-growth area in the clean energy industry,” said MassCEC Executive Director Pat Cloney.   In January 2010, MassCEC solicited proposals from organizations to develop programs that would train individuals for clean energy jobs and create a pipeline of skilled workers in the clean energy sector.  

MassCEC awarded funds to the following projects:
 

Greater Lawrence Technical School

Lawrence
$50,000 for an Integrating Green Technologies project

• The grant will fund the purchase of a mobile solar panel training unit. This equipment will give students hands-on training in solar energy systems and an understanding of the mechanics and theories of solar technology.

CTI’s YouthBuild Lowell
Lowell
$50,000 for Weatherization Training Equipment

• CTI’s YouthBuild Lowell is developing a weatherization job-training program for its YouthBuild academic-year-long training cycle.  The construction team trains students on safety and proper use of weatherization equipment, allowing students to practice on both models and real residences in the area. CTI’s YouthBuild Lowell will use grant funding to purchase insulation and air-sealing equipment, and for materials to build attic and wall models on which students will practice weatherization techniques.

Western New England College
Springfield
$75,000 for a Biomass Demonstration Project

• Western New England College will install a demonstration wood pellet burning system that will incorporate testing equipment for measuring system efficiency, emissions, and the effects of pellet material selection on system performance. The equipment will support new courses in bioenergy and complement existing green engineering courses in wind and solar energy.

Sheet Metal Local Union 17 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC)
Boston
$75,000 for a Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) Lab

• Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program (JATP) is planning to construct a comprehensive 900 square foot TAB training laboratory in its Dorchester training facility. The laboratory system will include all major components of a typical HVAC system – with instrumentation and HVAC system requirements – on which participants will train for hydronic and air balancing certification. Grant funds will support the addition of a TAB LAB and will provide Local 17 contractors with a single source of state-of-the-art, certified HVAC installers and testing/maintenance technicians and serve as a regional certification center.

Minuteman Career and Technical High School
Lexington, MA
$50,000 for an Energy Technology Program Project

• Minuteman will use grant funds for the purchase of equipment for the implementation of an integrated Energy Technology Program.  The program will include components of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, building science, and energy efficiency and weatherization.

Through its Workforce Development Program, MassCEC is positioning the Commonwealth as a leader in the clean energy market by developing a well-trained, educated workforce that meets industry needs and provides opportunities for individuals and businesses seeking to enter the industry.  The Workforce Development Program supports education and training opportunities that bolster economic growth and align with the Commonwealth’s energy goals. Created by the Green Jobs Act of 2008, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has as its mission to foster the growth of the Massachusetts clean energy industry by providing seed grants to companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations; funding job training and workforce development programs; and, as home of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, supporting the installation of renewable energy projects throughout the state. 

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Summer Street 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 — Office: (617) 315-9355 office / Fax: (617) 315-9356 or Fax@masscec.com
 

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