Pa. and N.J. get $2.6M in green jobs grants

Diane Mastrull
Philly.com
Dec 1, 2009

Pennsylvania and New Jersey have been awarded more than $2.6 million in federal green jobs grants for workforce training and labor-market information programs.

The grants - totaling $1.4 million for Pennsylvania and $1.25 million for New Jersey - were announced this morning by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

The bulk of the funds are geared toward helping states build comprehensive data banks on clean-energy jobs that will be accessible to companies and those looking for work. The idea is for those systems to provide information on job opportunities, the work skills they would require, and the availability of training programs.

In Pennsylvania, the state Department of Labor and Industry will set up the information program. In New Jersey, it will be handled by the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

In Philadelphia, $100,000 more is going to Connection Training Services to develop curriculum, course materials and competency models to meet the needs of employers in green industries.

In all, Solis announced nearly $55 million in green jobs training grants throughout the country, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. - Diane Mastrull