College to Offer Energy Efficiency Training Programs

November 12, 2019

Those looking to enter the clean energy and energy efficiency field will soon have a new training opportunity.

Hudson Valley Community College’s Office of Workforce Development was recently awarded a $226,212 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to create training programs that will develop a pipeline of skilled workers for clean energy jobs.

“We are thankful to NYSERDA for recognizing that Hudson Valley is uniquely qualified to offer this training in the Capital Region,” said President Roger A. Ramsammy. “The college’s workforce development office has the facilities and the faculty to develop a comprehensive training program for those who wish to enter this field.”

“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York’s clean energy economy is growing at a rate more than double the state’s overall economy, underscoring the need to help businesses and workers keep pace with the industry’s job demands,” said Alicia Barton, the president and CEO of NYSERDA. “These programs will equip Hudson Valley Community College students entering the workforce with the training to prepare them for clean tech jobs of the future.”

The training programs will prepare workers for new jobs or advance the skills of existing workers, particularly in the field of residential and commercial energy efficiency. Priority populations will be targeted for training within the greater Capital Region over a two-year period.

Courses will include soft skills training as well as specific job training skills and hands-on experience. The training may also eventually integrate into college coursework that can lead to an associate degree as well as stackable credentials and non-credit certifications.

The college has state-of-the-art training facilities including an on-campus “pressure house,” which can simulate drafts and leakages in a residential home as well as its TEC-SMART extension center in Malta. Both of these facilities enable Hudson Valley to provide hands-on training that cannot be found elsewhere in the Capital Region.

Classes are scheduled to start in January 2020.

More Information

Those interested in learning more about the energy efficiency courses or hiring students who complete the training should email workforce@hvcc.edu or call (518) 629-4111.