Glens Falls, N.Y. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to renew federal funding for the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program for the City of Glens Falls. This federal funding will allow Glens Falls to continue local job training initiatives for unemployed and underemployed workers.
The City plans to hold three separate training sessions during the first two years of the proposed Job Training Initiative. The proposed 2016 curriculum is designed to match the needs of local environmental contractors and businesses in the Hudson River-Adirondack Region that are in need of employees with proper certification. Once approved, classes will be held at a training facility in Glens Falls operated by the Local 773 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. This is the same location where the City’s initial EPA-funded Job Training Initiative was held through 2015.
“The requested funding will be used to continue to implement the Technology Redevelopment and Job Training Program in Glens Falls,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee. “This initiative will utilize local partners to recruit unemployed and underemployed workers for training through certification courses in environmental and green technology fields. I wrote to the EPA urging for the renewed funding to build on the public and private partnerships developed through the initial program and work to help close the growing skills gap in the region.”
“Thank you Senator Gillibrand for your efforts in furthering our goals to our reduce unemployment and train new workers with the skills they need in this economy,” said John “Jack” Diamond Mayor Glens Falls.
“Our region is very appreciative of Senator Gillibrand’s support for this important job training initiative application with US EPA,” said Ed Bartholomew President EDC Warren County.
Senator Gillibrand originally secured the EPA’s Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program for Glens Falls in 2012. Key partners in the initial program include the New York State Department of Labor, the Workforce Investment Board of Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties, the Warren-Hamilton Counties Community Action Agency, and Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 773.
Senator Gillibrand’s most recent letter to the Environmental Protection Agency included below.
The Honorable Gina McCarthy
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Administrator McCarthy,
I write in support of the application submitted by the City of Glens Falls for funding from the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program through the Environmental Protection Agency. This funding will allow the City of Glens Falls to continue a local job training initiative for unemployed and underemployed workers.
Located in the Capital Region of New York State, Glens Falls’ economy has long relied on the tourism, manufacturing, financial services, and public sectors for most of its activity. However, because of a slowdown in those sectors, the City has decided to invest in retraining its workforce in the environmental and green technology fields. The City was awarded an Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training grant in 2013, and has successfully trained more than 50 individuals for environmental and green-based technology jobs.
The requested funding will be used to continue to implement the City’s Technology Redevelopment and Job Training Initiative. This initiative will utilize local partners, such as UA Local 773 Plumbers and Steamfitters, to recruit unemployed and underemployed workers for training through certification courses in environmental and green technology fields. In addition, this initiative will create a strong public-private partnership, ensuring the curriculum meets the needs of employers and helps close the growing skills gap in the region.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator