DOE Announces $100M for Smart Grid Workforce Training

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ORIGINAL: Sustainable Business

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced award selections for nearly $100 million for 54 smart grid workforce training programs that aim to train workers for cleantech jobs in the utility and electrical manufacturing industries.

These projects will leverage more than $95 million in funding from community colleges, universities, utilities and manufacturers to develop and implement training programs. The selectees estimate that the programs will train approximately 30,000 people workers, who will help to modernize the nation’s electrical grid and implement smart grid technologies across the country.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu made the announcement while visiting a Pepco (NYSE: POM) engineering and service center in Rockville, Maryland that is receiving $4.4 million in funding that the company estimates will train 700 new and existing employees. This funding builds on the more than $4 billion in Recovery Act funding for smart grid deployment and demonstration projects nationally.

The programs will focus on training activities that support 
  • electricians, 
  • line workers, 
  • technicians, 
  • system operators, 
  • power system engineers, 
  • cyber security specialists and 
  • transmission planners. 
The selections include support to develop and deploy training programs broadly as well as to conduct actual personnel training for current and future employees. Workers will receive training on
  • the transmission and distribution systems as well as 
  • new intelligent grid systems, such as 
  • smart meters, 
  • phasor measurement sensors and 
  • advanced communication networks.

“This is a great opportunity for workers to upgrade their skills and earn more, or for laid off workers from other industries to start fresh in a new and growing field,” said Secretary Chu.

Today’s award selections support two types of workforce training initiatives:

  • Developing and Enhancing Workforce Training Programs for the Electric Power Sector (Topic A) - 33 projects have been selected to receive $41.6 million in Recovery Act funds for the development of new training programs, strategies and curricula related to the electric power sector and the smart grid.
  • Smart Grid Workforce Training (Topic B) - 21 projects have been selected to receive $57.7 million in Recovery Act funds to conduct workforce training programs for new hires--including displaced workers and military veterans--and retraining programs for electric utility workers and electrical equipment manufacturers to further enhance their knowledge of smart grid technologies and their implementation.

A pdf of the full list of selected projects is avalaible at the link below.

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