The Solution

This program aims to engage diverse participants from all communities like K–12 and university students, re-skilling, veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals. By providing industry exposure, hands-on training, mentorship, support services, and career development opportunities, we seek to prepare participants for careers in renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, advanced manufacturing, and electric vehicles.

The progressive nature of this model is such that it develops an industry workforce river for candidates to flow contiguously from one phase to the next producing a steady stream of diverse, skilled candidates for local employers.  Funding will be used to develop a pipeline that includes the following phases:

• Ecosystem Mapping: Identification and visual mapping of employers, community partners, training institutions, workforce boards, funding, and other relevant local contacts.

• Employer Engagement Forums: These events will gather industry employers to survey their hiring, retention, and training needs, while also showcasing work-based learning solutions, training funding, and previous employer successes. Employers that decide to participate further must prove they are offering quality jobs.

• Candidate Sourcing and Support: Engagement of local community organizations that are directly connected to diverse and underserved populations. Their role is to source potential youth and adult program candidates, connect talent to support services, and provide career coaching and accountability.

• Industry Career Exposure: Industry expo events will be held that expose potential talent to careers in the industry so that they can gain the spark needed to pursue the appropriate path. Events may include hands-on activities at booths hosted by local employers, engaging industry speakers, live career coaching, project tours, and job shadowing.

• Introductory Trainings: Short 4-10 week trainings will be provided by local educational institutions to small cohorts of both youth and adult talent to gauge affinity and provide early experience and credentials/certificates. Stipends and support services are provided to ensure equitable access. Employers that are most involved in the trainings through speaking, tours, equipment, etc. have first choice of hiring graduates.

• Hiring and Work-Based Learning: Employers that hire from these cohorts agree to provide full-time, quality jobs and continue their new staff training through established work-based learning programs like apprenticeship or internships.

• Ongoing Career Navigation: Continued support in the form of career counseling, mentorship, professional development, entrepreneurship resources, and worker voice will be provided.