Denver, CO, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DENVER — Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR) awarded $2.1 million in contracts through its taxpayer-supported Climate Protection fund that will create and expand clean energy jobs.
The six awardees include Community College of Denver, Denver Public Schools, Energy Efficiency Business Coalition, GRID Alternatives, International Facilities Management Association and Mile High Youth Corps.
“Our vision is to create career pathways and opportunities for people from under-resourced communities,” said Grace Rink, Denver’s chief climate officer. “We are working on a just transition to a climate-resilient future for Denver by training and developing a workforce that will be first in line for increasingly high-demand jobs in clean energy.”
CASR, in partnership with Denver Economic Development and Opportunity, issued funding to expand equitable access to jobs in the green economy through workforce development and employment opportunities for Denver residents. These entities will provide outreach, education, up-skilling, re-skilling, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Awardees will also reduce or eliminate barriers to employment for people from under-resourced communities, people of color and workers from industries in transition.
Individuals who participate in a green workforce development program will have access to quality green jobs with livable wages and benefits from employers. Services and products offered by employers also allow workers to build skills and competitiveness in the workforce.
“GRID Alternatives Colorado is excited to partner with Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency to grow a solar workforce that provides opportunities for all,” said Adrienne Dorsey, executive director for GRID Alternatives. “Nationwide, the growing solar industry is creating pathways out of poverty for tens of thousands of workers. We will expand on this work at the local level, creating quality jobs that are accessible and inclusive for Denver residents.”
A green workforce provides a variety of career pathways that directly contribute to moving our city and the built environment toward sustainability and resiliency. This includes current jobs that require new skills to meet green standards, jobs that are in higher demand because of green initiatives, and entirely new and evolving occupations.
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About Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency
Mayor Michael Hancock and the Denver City Council created the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency to manage the City's ambitious emission reduction goals and sustainability programs in collaboration with fellow departments, other units of government, and community partners. The office ensures that the City's targets are aligned with current climate science, promotes the role that climate action and sustainability play in strengthening Denver's economic vitality and a prosperous future for all residents and businesses, and embraces equity as a value and practice in all of its work.
