Continuing Education began a new program in January that will help train San Diegans in green technology. President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped fund California’s Clean Energy Workforce Training Program. It is through this effort that Continuing Education is able to offer the new green building training in the STAR Center (Sustainable Training and Resource Center) at the Educational Cultural Complex.
The STAR Center is housed in a state-of-the-art learning facility dedicated to free Job Training/Certificate Programs, and specifically designed with green technology educational areas. Construction of the STAR Center was a result of San Diego voters approving Propositions S and N, which support new construction, renovation, and infrastructure projects throughout the district.
The facility includes a weatherization simulation used for energy auditing with high-tech infrared monitors; insulation demonstrations and applications; solar panel installation and maintenance; classroom facilities with a “tell-tail” pressure house to demonstrate energy savings and building envelope efficiencies, and a mobile weatherization lab, where training can be taken off site—anywhere in Southern California.
The vision for the STAR Center is to become the regional Southern California green technology training center, promoting all aspects of energy conservation and sustainability, including wind and wave power generation. Continuing Education is collaborating with local career centers on this new green building training effort.
The San Diego Workforce Partnership has funded job training programs in the county since 1974. “We are excited to be collaborating with our local community colleges to provide entry-level education and training in the emerging green market in San Diego County,” said Mark Nanzer, Youth Team Manager at the San Diego Workforce Partnership. “This is an incredible opportunity to bring together the worlds of workforce development and higher education to provide training designed to prepare the workforce in San Diego for a clean energy future and help position San Diego as a nationwide leader in the new sustainable economy.”
Upon completion of the five-week program, students are prepared for entry-level work in the field or to enroll in more specialized training in the areas of HVAC mechanics technicians, or installers; building performance or retrofitting specialists; building controls systems technicians; energy auditors or home energy raters; and solar photovoltaic installers.
The short-term approach to teaching makes sense in this economic environment,” said Jane Signaigo-Cox, Dean of Career and Technical Education for Continuing Education. “In just five weeks, students are introduced to training in five green industry areas.” Students receive direct green building and sustainable energy fundamentals through a pre-apprenticeship training program, which is funded by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
Funding for this effort, totaling $1,600,000 from President Obama’s commitment toward American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars, combines grants from the State Energy Program, Workforce Investment Act, and State Energy Sector Partnership. An additional $700,000 has been leveraged from contributing partners.
The program aids displaced workers, the long-term unemployed, new workforce entrants, military veterans, and older, out-of-school youth in gaining the skills necessary to compete for job opportunities in the emerging Green Economy. More than 100 students are expected to complete the training within the next year.