First Look at New, ‘Green Jobs’ Training Programs

Washington, May 28 — Months after passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA; Pub. L. 111-5), the Department of Labor is finally releasing the first details of one of the law’s most prominent components: new grant programs designed to train American workers for careers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.

In a recent training and employment notice, the department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) gave prospective applicants the first glimpse of what to expect from a series of new job-training programs funded by the Recovery Act. And while a complete solicitation of grant applications isn’t expected until sometime in June, the guidance offers enough detail to allow eligible grantees in the job-training field to begin planning for the application process.