This past March, the N.C. State Energy Sector Partnership training grant, in the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, was named one of the highest performing High Growth and Emerging Industry grantees from across the nation. This designation is the result of participant performance, program innovation, systemic change and the sustainability of training programs created to meet local employer needs. To date, 1,074 individuals in the state have received industry-recognized credentials and 810 individuals have been verified to be in training-related employment.
In January 2010, North Carolina received an ARRA State Energy Sector Partnership Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for $5.9 million to carry out training programs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy fields. There are four regional teams representing 38 rural counties across the state that facilitate training and certification of individuals in fields such as weatherization, solar voltaic installation, sustainable agriculture and green construction and deconstruction.