Magaziner Reintroduces Bill to Train Students for Clean Energy Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02) and Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam) reintroduced the bipartisan Clean Energy Workforce Act, legislation to create a grant program to fund career and technical education (CTE) programs to train young people for careers in the clean energy construction field.

This legislation will help develop training pipelines for good-paying jobs in clean energy and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy by investing in CTE programs that can provide students with invaluable skills-based learning.

"The clean energy sector is an accelerator for good-paying local jobs for Rhode Islanders," said Magaziner. "To ensure Rhode Islanders can take part in building the projects that deliver affordable energy to homes and businesses, we need a prepared and skilled workforce. My bipartisan Clean Energy Workforce Act invests in career and technical education to connect the next generation with good-paying jobs in the clean energy economy."

"Building a stronger workforce starts with giving our students access to real-world skills and career opportunities that prepare them for the future. For Guam and other island communities, investing in career and technical education is critical to developing a new generation of skilled workers who can support modern energy infrastructure, strengthen our economy, and reduce reliance on outside labor. I'm proud to join Congressman Magaziner on this bipartisan effort to expand pathways into high-demand careers and ensure our students are equipped to succeed in a rapidly evolving energy sector," said Moylan.

The Clean Energy Workforce Act provides $100 million in the creation of two new grant programs:

• The Clean Energy Curriculum Development Grants to support CTE programs in developing curricula foremerging careers in clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate change mitigation, or climate change adaptation.
• The Renewable Energy Facilities Grants program to provide CTE programs with funds to upgrade existing facilities, develop new facilities, and acquire new educational equipment to improve energy efficiency or convert to renewable energy.

This legislation is endorsed by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), League of Conservation Voters, National Education Association (NEA), National Skills Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and SkillsUSA.