College Will Use $2.3M Grant to Train Disadvantaged in Green Construction Skills

Lincoln Nebraska based Southeast Community College plans to use a $2.3 million grant from economic stimulus funds to train 400 disadvantaged people to work in energy efficiency construction.

“It’s exciting to have an opportunity to lead people in that direction,” SCC President Jack Huck said of the training that the college will provide, in the JournalStar.

Participants will include unemployed workers, veterans, high school dropouts, those with criminal records, refugees and immigrants.

The money comes from the labor department’s Pathways Out of Poverty grant program, designed to help disadvantaged people escape poverty and become self-sufficient. SCC’s grant was one of 38 worth $150 million awarded to organizations across the country.

The College plans to use the money to teach eight green construction courses, as well as basic communications and employability skills. The college also will offer participants computer training, vocational ESL classes, and adult education and job skills workshops.

The training will prepare participants to work in construction, carpentry, roofing, electrical, plumbing and sheet metal.

“We’re going to try give them a total experience to make them employable in those industries,” Huck said.

The college also will provide support services necessary to ensure the success of participants, who will be facing obstacles like homelessness and unemployment.

“If it is successful, it’s going to be very gratifying,” Huck said.

Training will take place in a 10,000-square-foot space that SCC will lease in the Center for People in Need’s newly expanded facility at 3901 N. 27th St.

U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, who helped gain passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill, applauded the $2.3 million grant to SCC on Wednesday.

“This project is a model partnership of local Lincoln organizations that will train workers for new green construction jobs and help match them with available work,” he said.

Short URL: http://www.mygreeneducation.com/?p=5478

Posted by SBurke on Jan 13 2010. Filed under College, Green Building, Green Career Paths. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry