Community colleges get funds for green job training

A San Diego County community college district and a nonprofit workforce training agency were among 34 recipients of $27 million in grants announced today by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for clean energy jobs training programs.

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District received $1 million in grants through the California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program, and the San Diego Workforce Partnership got $700,000.

Statewide, the grants will train 5,600 participants for jobs such as installing solar panels, maintaining electric vehicles, computer programming and researching fuel cell technologies.

“California’s goal in renewable energy development, climate change reduction, clean transportation and green building are driving green job growth - and these funds are pivotal to building a workforce to meet that demand,” Schwarzenegger said.

“This program represents the kind of innovative thinking needed to steer our economy toward a greener future while targeting the unemployed, underemployed and new workforce members at a time when we must do everything possible to help Californians return to work,” he said.

Coupled with a dollar-for-dollar match through private partnerships, the California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program promotes the training of workers in occupations related to energy efficiency, water efficiency, renewable energy and alterative transportation technologies.