Bucks County Community College in eastern Pennsylvania and Gamesa USA officially opened the College's Green Jobs Academy in Bristol Township which will train workers in new “green” economy skills.
Wind turbine maker Gamesa employs 6,300 workers worldwide, including nearly 800 in Pennsylvania, where the company has invested more than $220 million since 2004. The U.S. jobs are as varied as wind turbine component manufacturing; wind farm construction and turbine installation; wind turbine operations and maintenance; logistics and engineering; legal and marketing services; and much more.Gamesa will support the Green Jobs Academy both as a primary user and through company-developed wind energy training and curriculum resources. Gamesa recently launched its own Corporate University, which includes in-person and online facilities outfitted with the latest equipment and materials to train workers across the globe in sustainable technologies. The Academy will serve as Gamesa’s U.S. base.
The Green Jobs Academy also benefits from $946,000 in state and federal assistance. The U.S. Dept. of Energy awarded $631,000 through a competitive grant process. The Academy will use the funds to provide green job training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services.The remaining $315,000 made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will fund Academy programs geared specifically toward veterans, providing them with job readiness training to restore the environment and economy while helping them transition back into their communities. The program focuses on renewable energy; pollution prevention and "brownfield" cleanup; and energy efficiency.
More info: http://www.bucks.edu/news/releases/green_jobs_academy.php