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Inslee Announces Clean Energy Job Training Grant
Department of Labor grant of $5.9 million for job training in Washington state part of funds Inslee promoted in stimulus legislation

January 20, 2010

(Washington, D.C.)  This afternoon Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-01) joined the US Department of Labor to announce $5.9 million in clean energy job training funds for the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.  The funding is part of the State Energy Sector Partnership and Training grant awards program, authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The grant will assist approximately 4,731 people who will be trained and placed in energy and efficiency occupations.   

“I have been committed to ensuring that Washington state takes the lead in building a new energy economy,” said Rep. Inslee.  “The reason I fought to include millions of dollars in the stimulus bill for clean energy technology is because I knew it would put people to work now as well as train our workforce to build the foundation of the 21st century economy.  That effort is paying off.”

Beginning in November of 2008, Rep. Inslee led members of the House in promoting the inclusion of hundreds of millions of dollars in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act directed toward programs that would make our energy economy more secure and environmentally sustainable.  Then in January of 2009, Rep. Inslee led the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) in a letter to House leadership outlining where stimulus funds could be most effectively invested, including a call for at least $250 million dollars in Green Jobs Workforce training. 

The grant announced today, which Rep. Inslee supported, will go to implement training and job placement assistance for high demand occupations needed for energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings.  The funding will be targeted towards dislocated workers, incumbent workers, at-risk youth, low-income adults, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.  

“The race to be first in the new clean energy economy has already started,” added Rep. Inslee.  “If we don’t make progress on clean energy now, the United States will be trying to compete in the 21st century with a 20th century economy. “