Building the Energy Efficiency Workforce for Colorado
Organization: International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology
Grant Round: Workforce Innovation I
Program’s Objectives: International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology (iCAST) will conduct Energy Efficiency Training for 250 unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers referred by workforce centers in the WIRED region. Training will include energy auditing for residential, commercial and industrial buildings; solar PV and solar thermal installation; insulation and air sealing installation and other energy savings devices installation and HVAC installation. iCAST will create and post three online course modules in an energy efficiency curriculum, presented in partnership with The Colorado Energy Science Center (CESC) and E-Star Colorado.
Individuals Served: Our first course is being offered September 22- September 26, 2008. When all six courses are complete in 2009, we project 250 participants and 170 individuals placed in jobs and internships.
Success Story: We have combined resources with our industry and educational partners. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of truly unique training programs that will meet the needs of workers and employers.
Quote: “Preliminary success of the program can be seen in the favorable response from the public. These short but intense courses will expose a large population of unemployed and incumbent workers to career paths in the energy efficiency industry.”
-- Mark Palmer, WIRED Admin Project Manager, International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology
Collaborators: Smart Energy Living Alliance, Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Colorado Solar Energy Industry Association, Denver Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Energy Outreach Colorado, Xcel, Sun Power, Jefferson County Workforce Center, Comfort Air, Sustainable Solutions Inc, and All About Saving Heat.