Success Of Energy Training Program Means Second Round

HARTFORD — Following the success of the first Academic Skills Enhancement for Energy-Related Careers training program, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) and Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) recently began a second round of free energy-sector training.

The next round of training, which runs trough December 12, in Hartford, will take the many successes of the first group of trainees and bring some changes to the program to make it even more successful.

“The energy sector in Connecticut is due for growth, even when our state is struggling to create jobs in other sectors,” says Judy Resnick, executive director of CBIA’s Education Foundation. “The governor has just announced the first-ever Comprehensive Energy Strategy for Connecticut — essentially a roadmap to cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy in our state. This will require continued innovation in the energy sector, which means skills and knowledge upgrades for employees.”

A high proportion of energy-sector workers, Ms Resnick adds, are baby boomers looking to retire. “Now more than ever,” she notes, “energy-sector recruitment and training will be key.”

While the stepping stones of the training program — applied mathematics, reading for information, locating information, and applied technology — will remain the same, there will be some modifications to the latest program. Qualified individuals, for example, will have the opportunity to further their education in career-specific programs such as solar PV installation, sales, energy audits, utility line worker, and more.

“The first group to go through the training was highly motivated and hardworking, and it shows when you look at the fact that 11 of them have landed jobs within the sector,” says Deb Presbie, CBIA project coordinator. “But even with successful programs, there is always room for improvement. I can’t wait to see what becomes of this next cohort.”

Students attend seven weeks of full-day classroom and online training courses designed to help them increase critical thinking, math, and applied technology skills; prepare for pre-employment aptitude tests and academic placement tests; and earn the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), a national credential identified by the Center for Energy Workforce Development as the entry-level standard for the energy industry.

“This is a unique program, created using information on industry-specific needs given to us by the very businesses that will need new employees,” added Ms Resnick. “The training will allow these individuals to enter the workforce with the potential to move into high-skill, high-wage jobs.”

“The different doors this program could open are life-changing,” says Ms Presbie. “While students gain knowledge and skills specific to the energy industry, they also earn a workforce credential that verifies they have core employability skills that are valuable across all businesses and industries. Each person is given a career advisor, the chance to network, and job placement assistance. There aren’t many opportunities like this out there.”

To learn more, call Ms Presbie at 860-244-1932 or e-mail deb.presbie@cbia.com.