Program to train Southwest Virginians for new, green jobs

Southwest Virginians wondering where federal stimulus money has been going can expect to see $3.8 million distributed over the next two years to train workers for new, green jobs in the construction industry across 21 counties and cities in the region.

The program is called CREATES — Construction, Retrofitting and Energy-Efficiency Assessment Training and Employment Systems — and its funding comes through the U.S. Department of Labor. CREATES represents a partnership among businesses, colleges, nonprofits and work force boards to prepare workers to meet the needs of a changing industry.

The program will be administered through the nonprofit Community Housing Partners in Christiansburg. 

CHP also will offer training and certification on energy efficiency assessment, weatherization and green retrofit training at its New River Center for Energy Research and Training in Christiansburg, one of just 12 energy efficiency and weatherization training facilities in the United States.

“These enhanced skills and certificates will increase job security for people who currently have jobs because these needs are going to increase,” said Susan Sisk, vice president of corporate and personnel development at CHP.

“But part of this project is designed to help people who were affected by the downturn in the auto industry and other unemployed workers to give them these green enhanced skills so that they will be more competitive.”

Virginia Tech will receive $474,000 as an educational partner and will work with New River, Wytheville and Virginia Western community colleges, which will divide approximately $2 million for training programs.

Faculty from Tech’s College of Engineering and College of Architecture and Urban Studies will work with the community colleges to develop a curriculum that will develop 21st century job skills for a changing industry.

John Provo, associate director of Tech’s office of economic development, said the training will lead to new jobs and better prepared workers.
“We are going to boost the supply of folks out there with top-level skills for the positions we think will be coming online,” Provo said.

According to Provo, many otherwise skilled workers are undereducated in green building standards.

“This is a way, based on the employer feedback we got on the front end of this, to help create jobs and prepare people to meet the coming need,” Provo said.
“And we will also be building a great partnership with the other colleges,” he added.

For more information about CREATES, contact Community Housing Partners at www.communityhousingpartners.org.