Funding Notice: Nearly $2 Million Available to Support U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Readiness Programs

outubro 10, 2024

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Offices: Office of Technology Transitions, Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO)
Funding Amount: $1.9 million
Link to apply: PPO-CWX-006-WETO: Offshore Wind Workforce Readiness – Connectwerx

The offshore wind industry is growing. According to the 2024 Offshore Wind Market Report, the U.S. industry’s project pipeline grew by 53% from the previous year—enough to power more than 26 million homes if fully developed. As the U.S. offshore wind industry grows, so does the number of good-paying job opportunities and the demand to fill them in communities across the nation.

To meet these growing demands, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) has announced the $1.9 million Offshore Wind Workforce Readiness program through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement with ConnectWerx. This $1.9 million opportunity will make awards of up to $250,000 to successful applicants offering offshore wind education and training programs that offer apprenticeship readiness programs, registered apprenticeship programs, or maritime/mariner programs, with particular attention to programs that support underserved communities.

DOE seeks to fund programs that are in alignment with local and regional organizations, and that have relationships with employers within the U.S. offshore wind supply chain. Domestically deployed clean energy supply chain and technologies will make American energy affordable and reliable.

The Offshore Wind Workforce Readiness program supports the following objectives:

Objective 1: Addressing the immediate and anticipated workforce needs of the domestic offshore wind industry through the deployment of trainings.
Objective 2: Broaden paths to high-quality offshore wind jobs.
Objective 3: Deliver holistic supportive services to training participants.

A robust offshore industry can help lower electricity costs, ensure cleaner water and air, and contribute to the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals of a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035 and a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.

This program is managed by ConnectWerx. This collaboration is made possible through the innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions. This agreement enables ConnectWerx to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.

Eligibility and Applying

Successful applicants will have hiring commitments from employer partners and consider each region’s unique workforce solutions to scale up offshore wind deployment. These awards will build upon existing training infrastructure.

Organizations that are eligible to apply for and directly receive funds (“Prime Recipients”) include:

Union training programs and labor organizations.
Education and workforce training providers.
Community colleges.
Trade schools.
Other apprenticeship or apprenticeship readiness training programs.

Organizations that are eligible to receive funding by partnering with a Prime Recipient (“Project Partners”) or by receiving a subaward from a Prime Recipient (“Subrecipients”) can include:

Employer partners, including corporations, energy service providers, or engineering firms.
Workforce system institutions.
Community-based organizations.
Local, state, and territorial governmental entities, including local education agencies and high schools.
Indian tribes.
Workforce system institutions (e.g., workforce development boards).
Four-year colleges and universities (applicants are highly encouraged to partner with Tribal colleges and universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions).
Organized labor, industry, or other education and training providers that further U.S. offshore wind deployment education and training programs.
Other education and training providers that further education and training programs as they relate to the deployment of offshore wind.

Applications are due on Friday, December 13 at 5:00 p.m. ET. To learn more, register for the informational webinar and objective strategy session on Thursday, October 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET or attend office hours on Wednesday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Note: An additional Office Hours session may be held in early December depending upon questions and request.