Local agencies are committing $380k toward training workers in green trades.
A group of prominent North Bay agencies are teaming up to ensure young people have a chance to build toward a climate-ready Bay Area.
The Marin Community Foundation announced this month it was awarding Marin Clean Energy a $380,000 Climate Justice Grant to partner with local trades groups in offering paid training in green construction, electrification and energy efficiency. Thanks to the grant, the Lime Foundation, Service Employees International Union and the Association for Energy Affordability will expand the Next Generation Trades Academy, a program offered through the Lime Foundation, for 80 jobseekers in Marin City, San Rafael’s Canal District and West Marin.
Letitia Hanke, CEO of the Lime Foundation, says youth entering the construction trades can begin earning from $25 to $35 an hour. “By avoiding student debt and gaining in-demand skills, they achieve financial independence faster, making construction a valuable alternative to college,” said Hanke in an announcement of the grant.
Marin Clean Energy CEO Dawn Weisz said training workers in clean tech helps to accelerate progress toward state clean-energy goals. “We’re growing the next generation of trade workers focusing on youth who face the biggest barriers to accessing well-paying jobs,” said Weisz in the announcement. “Those most impacted by our changing climate should be the first to benefit from the clean energy transition.”
Among the 329 graduates of the NextGen Trades Academy, 89% have come from low- to moderate-income backgrounds, with 82% identifying as Latinx, Black/African-American, Indigenous or BIPOC, and 15% identifying as female.
The agencies said their goal is to create pathways for underrepresented communities in the skilled trades. Eligible graduates typically secure employment within 30-90 days of completing the program, with starting wages between $21 to $30 per hour depending on the industry, according to the release.
Trades Academy participants receive paid in-person and virtual hands-on training; 18 months of mentorship and job placement support; certifications, networking, career counseling and life skills training.
Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 24 and live in Marin County. Prior experience is not required. Deadline to apply is Jan. 10. To apply, visit nextgenmarin.com.
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