NYCHA Clean Energy Academy Celebrates Inaugural Graduating Class: A Milestone in Clean Energy Workforce Development
Public Housing Community Fund
Building a stronger, more equitable New York City by investing in public housing communities.
The Public Housing Community Fund and NYCHA, in partnership with CUNY LaGuardia Community College, NYSERDA, National Grid, NYPA, Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, NorthLight Foundation and Rise Light & Power, launched the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy in August 2022 as a two-year scalable program that will train 100 NYCHA residents in clean energy careers
The nearly $2 million program is training the future workforce of public housing residents helping NYCHA achieve its decarbonization goals while providing economic mobility to residents
The scalable workforce training program serves as a model for public housing authorities nationwide
New York City, August 31, 2023 — The Public Housing Community Fund and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) , in collaboration with the The City University of New York ’s (CUNY) LaGuardia Community College , the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ( NYSERDA ), National Grid , New York Power Authority (NYPA), Trinity Church NYC , NorthLight Foundation, and Rise Light & Power , are thrilled to announce the landmark achievement of the first graduating class of the #NYCHA Clean Energy Academy. This pioneering program successfully trained a cohort of NYCHA residents, marking a significant step towards achieving #cleanenergy #careerpathways and advancing NYCHA's #decarbonization goals.
Announced in August 2022, the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy , a two-year scalable initiative, represents an investment of nearly $2 million aimed at training 100 NYCHA residents in high-demand clean energy careers. Through a unique collaboration between public and private sector partners, including CUNY LaGuardia Community College, the Academy offers specialized training in building electrification, clean energy technologies, and energy efficiency.
?"The first 24 of 100 NYCHA residents have emerged from the Clean Energy Academy as job-ready, clean energy specialists," said?NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt . "This innovative program teaches public housing residents the necessary skills to be successful in a viable, in-demand career landscape while emphasizing the adoption of clean energy. We extend our most heartfelt congratulations?to the Clean Energy Academy's?first graduating class, as well as our sincere appreciation to our partners for their contributions in helping to train the next generation of leaders in the clean energy field."
?The NYCHA #CleanEnergyAcademy serves as a model for public housing authorities across the state and nationwide, demonstrating a scalable approach to #workforcedevelopment and clean energy adoption. The first graduating class of 24 NYCHA residents completed a 16-week, 280-hour training program. Graduates earned a stipend for participating, received 40 hours of instruction specific to energy efficiency, with additional modules related to green building design and electrification, toured NYCHA Weatherization Assistance Program project sites to observe through-wall heat pump installations, and obtained a number of certifications preparing them for employment in green jobs including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 30, Site Safety Training, Flagger and Scaffold Certification, and more. By connecting trainees with NYCHA contractors engaged in retrofit and renewable energy projects, the Academy ensures that graduates are well-prepared for the evolving clean energy landscape and provides a pathway to economic mobility. On August 24, the first graduating class of the Academy participated in a Trainee Meet and Greet, where graduates met with NYCHA contractors and explored career opportunities.
"As we transition to a clean energy future, workforce development remains a cornerstone of our strategy. The NYCHA Clean Energy Academy has not only empowered NYCHA residents with new skills but also paved the way for meaningful, sustainable careers in the growing clean energy sector," said Public Housing Community Fund Executive Director Alex Zablocki . "The Fund congratulates the first graduating class and extends our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, both public and private, for their support and dedication to this transformative program. As the first cohort of graduates embark on their careers in the clean energy sector, their accomplishments serve as an inspiration to both the local community, the broader industry and the next cohort.”
The NYCHA Clean Energy Academy is made possible by a collaborative effort, with support from #NYSERDA, National Grid, #NYPA, Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, NorthLight Foundation, Rise Light & Power, and NYCHA. Together, they have provided the resources necessary to shape the future of clean energy in #publichousing communities.
“We join with NYCHA, and other partner organizations across New York, to recognize the accomplishments of this inaugural NCEA cohort. This event underscores National Grid’s proud legacy of workforce development, which we have amplified through Project C, and our commitment to create transformative lasting changes in the communities we serve. To realize our climate goals and achieve widespread electrification, we recognize the critical need for a well-trained workforce like these graduates,” said National Grid Director of Community and Customer Engagement Renee McClure .
?“As New York State transitions to an equitable clean energy economy, training the next generation of workers for high-demand jobs in growing clean energy sectors is critical. NYSERDA congratulates the first class of NYCHA Clean Energy Academy graduates and wishes them all the best as they utilize their new skillsets to secure jobs and to help reduce the carbon footprints of buildings while creating healthier living environments for New York families,” said NYSERDA Workforce Development and Training Director Adele Ferranti .
“The launch of NYCHA’s clean energy academy this?year has exceeded our expectations! ?I was inspired by the dedication of more than two dozen NYCHA residents who graduated from the program with the skills and training required for good paying jobs in the clean energy economy,” said New York Power Authority Vice President, Environmental Justice Kaela Mainsah .
“Trinity Church Wall Street is proud to support this innovative public-private partnership that advances careers of public housing residents and the adoption of clean energy technology. We join NYCHA and other partners in congratulating the first graduating class of the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy,” said Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies Chief Philanthropy Officer Beatriz de la Torre.
“Congratulations to the first cohort of NYCHA Clean Energy Academy graduates for achieving this milestone, along with proving the value and efficacy of this program,” said Wil Fisher , External Affairs Manager at Rise Light & Power. “The energy transition presents a transformational economic opportunity for New Yorkers. As we work in parallel to redevelop New York City’s largest power plant – Ravenswood Generating Station – as a hub of clean energy, we are excited to help our neighbors in NYCHA train and qualify for these opportunities.”
The NYCHA Clean Energy Academy's success story underscores the transformative impact of public-private partnerships, highlighting the potential for clean energy innovation to drive positive change while uplifting public housing communities and its residents.
For more information about the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy, please visit https://www.communityfund.nyc/cea .
# # #
领英推荐
About Public Housing Community Fund
Public Housing Community Fund is a nonprofit that forges partnerships to power transformative programs that enhance the lives of over 500,000 residents across NYCHA communities. Our goal is to engage people and partners to build a stronger, more equitable New York City by investing in public housing communities. We invest in programs focused on leadership development, financial empowerment, community health, and workforce training for residents of the NYCHA community. www.communityfund.nyc
About NYCHA
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 528,105 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.
About NYSERDA
NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect the environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York State since 1975. To learn more about NYSERDA’s programs and funding opportunities, visit nyserda.ny.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram.
About National Grid
National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future through our fossil-free vision. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For more information, please visit our website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, like us on Facebook and find our photos on Instagram About NYPA NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit https://www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies
Now in its fourth century, Trinity Church Wall Street is a growing and inclusive Episcopal parish of more than 1,200 members that seeks to serve and heal the world by building neighborhoods that live Gospel truths, generations of faithful leaders, and sustainable communities. The parish is guided by its core values: faith, integrity, inclusiveness, compassion, social justice, and stewardship. Members come from the five boroughs of New York City and surrounding areas to form a racially, ethnically, and economically diverse congregation. More than 20 worship services are offered every week at its historic sanctuaries, Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel, the cornerstones of the parish’s community life, worship, and mission, and online at trinitywallstreet.org . The parish welcomes approximately 2 million visitors per year. Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies uses the tools of grantmaking, investments, convening, and influence to advance Trinity’s mission goals of racial justice, ending homelessness, and building leadership and financial capacity in the church.
About NorthLight Foundation
NorthLight Foundation, a private foundation established by Dan and Sheryl Tishman, invests at the intersection of human and environmental landscapes to advance equitable and enduring solutions for environmental and human health. Originally incorporated as the Dan and Sheryl Tishman Family Foundation in 2011, the Foundation entered a new phase in 2018 with the hiring of its first staff, an Executive Director, and the development of a strategic grantmaking framework. It also adopted a new name, NorthLight, evoking the Trustees’ commitment to supporting solutions that will bring about a healthy, just, and sustainable world. NorthLight Foundation is the product of many years of active philanthropy in education and the environment and builds upon the legacy of John L. Tishman.
About Rise Light & Power
Rise Light & Power is a Queens, New York based energy asset manager and developer. Its core asset, Long Island City’s Ravenswood Generation Station, is New York City’s largest power generating facility, which provides more than 20 percent of New York City's generation capacity. Rise is also pursuing an exciting growth-oriented strategy, including modernization and resiliency upgrades at Ravenswood Generation Station, as well as new large-scale clean energy infrastructure to facilitate the renewable energy transition taking place in New York State and the region. Rise Light & Power is a wholly owned affiliate of LS Power. For more information, please visit www.riselight.com .
About LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, Queens, educates thousands of New Yorkers annually through degree, certificate, and continuing education programs. Our guiding principle Dare To Do More reflects our belief in the transformative power of education—not just for individuals, but for our community and our country—creating pathways for achievement and safeguarding the middle class. LaGuardia is a national voice on behalf of community colleges, where half of all U.S. college students study. Part of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his championing the underserved. Since our doors opened in 1971, our programs regularly become national models for pushing boundaries to give people of all backgrounds access to a high quality, affordable college education.