HumboldtCounty
520 E Street
Eureka, CA 95503
Jacqueline Debets
(707) 445-7745
Award Amount: $889,725
Summary: The Redwood Coast Green Pre-Apprenticeship Program will train 100 out of school youth, underemployed and unemployed, new entrants to the workforce from Humboldt and Del Norte counties for green building careers in two of the fastest growing industries in the Redwood Coast region—the Building & Systems Construction & Maintenance industry and the Management & Innovation Services industry. In a regional cluster study produced by the Humboldt County Workforce Investment Board, called Targets of Opportunity, these industries were two of the six that together grew new jobs 37% in the fifteen year period of the study. The Building & Systems Construction & Maintenance industry grew jobs 33% and the Management & Innovation Services industry grew new jobs 125% in that period. While the national recession has slowed job growth, these industries contain our region’s green industry sectors and are projected to open new jobs in the next two years, and indicate a strong demand for green skilled workforce. Del Norte and Humboldt counties are collaborating to build a practical and achievable re-training program with 15 partners across a large, rural area within the region: College of the Redwoods; Eureka Adult School; The Job Market (Humboldt County one-stop operator); Workforce Center—Del Norte; City of Arcata; Yurok Indian Housing Authority; Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District; DANCO Builders; Redwood Coast Energy Authority; Redwood Community Action Agency; A-Step program for Indian youth employment; Maple Service, Inc; Greenway Partners, Inc.; Plan It Green; and the Carpenter’s Union Local 751. Training will be offered in a series of classes: (1)Environmental Training, Introduction to Green Building, (2) Energy Fundamentals, (3) Retrofits & Energy Efficiency, Water Efficient, (4) Building And Retrofits, (5) Solar Hot Water Installation and Design Principles, (6) Solar Electricity Installation and Design Principles, (7) OSHA safety. Additional training for basic and soft skills will prepare new entrants into the workforce to be successful Participants will enter and complete training in cohorts (or “flights”) of their peers to encourage team work and networking. All flights will include union orientation to understand the opportunities, benefits and operations of union apprenticeship programs. As each flight completes their training, participants will be placed in work experience training, and then supported through the process of permanent hiring or union apprenticeships. Participants will learn about these opportunities through union apprenticeship coordinators for carpentry, electricians, laborers, operating engineers and plumbers unions. Graduating participants will be prepared for entry-level work as wastewater technicians, energy efficiency building technicians, rough carpentry workers, HVAC installers assistants, green plumbing assistances, solar installation assistants, and general maintenance and repair workers. Our Green Employer Council, lead by Plan It Green, actively supports this training grant, many of who will provide work experience training for graduates.