Biden-Harris Administration Announces $40 Million to Expand Clean Energy Workforce Training and Enhance U.S. Building and Manufacturing Efficiency.
Funding From President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda will Support Institutions Nationwide to Boost Training Opportunities for the Energy Workforce, While Lowering Costs for Small Businesses and Reducing Emissions
As part of the President’s Biden’s Investing in America agenda and in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 17 new Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) and the inaugural cohort of 10 Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTAC). Selectees are expected to receive a combined $40.8 million, made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to expand training opportunities for in-demand, high-quality jobs while identifying opportunities for organizations to save energy, improve productivity, and reduce waste. Selectees will also work with hundreds of industrial facilities and buildings across more than 25 states and territories, expanding the existing network to 54 IACs and 10 BTACs. Aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 commitment, over 75% of these awards will go to organizations that serve disadvantaged communities, help reduce energy burdens, and increase access to high-quality, good-paying jobs for Americans facing barriers to employment.
"America’s global leadership on advanced manufacturing and energy efficient buildings depends on our skilled, diverse workforce here at home,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is doing even more to invest in workers and small businesses, helping us meet our clean energy goals while creating high-quality, good-paying jobs in communities across the country.”
These new IACs and BTACs will deliver technical assistance and conduct assessments at small- and medium-sized manufacturer (SMMs) and commercial and institutional buildings. They will provide hands-on, engaging learning opportunities for students and union apprentices while identifying opportunities to reduce facility energy bills. Programs will also offer training and upskilling opportunities for current manufacturing and building energy workers. Participants will exit these programs prepared for high-quality, in-demand roles as building energy managers, insulators and heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration professionals, and as advanced manufacturing technicians for growing clean energy sectors like batteries and solar manufacturing.
Learn more about each of the selectees here.
MESC manages the IAC Program, and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) manages the BTAC Program. Learn more about both programs by visiting the MESC and SCEP websites.
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