State, region clinch federal green jobs grants

Source: Business First of Columbus

Millions of federal stimulus dollars are headed to Ohio through a round of funding announced Wednesday aimed at green job-training programs.

The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled details of nearly $100 million in grants through the Energy Training Partnership Grant program. The funding, which will be spread out nationally, is a piece of $500 million set aside through the federal stimulus legislation to train workers for jobs in the green sector.

Of the 25 grants announced Wednesday, two are headed to projects exclusively in Ohio, while the state is receiving a piece of three other multi-state grants. The largest grant headed solely to the state is $4.8 million for the Ohio Electrical Labor Management Cooperative Committee. The funding will help workers in dozens of counties around the state through a new training center network dubbed the Ohio Green Renewable Opportunities for Workers. The Columbus-based Central Ohio Transit Authority will take part in the so-called GROWS project through training centers in Madison and Union Counties, U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, said in a release Wednesday.

A $4 million state-specific grant is headed to the Communications Workers of America and National Education and Training Trust to help dislocated workers and veterans in several counties in northern and southwest Ohio.

Three other multi-state grants totaling nearly $14.7 million are for training efforts in Ohio, including a $5 million minority job-training grant for the International Transportation Learning Center that includes Columbus.

Click here for a detailed listing of grants awarded nationwide.