Schiff Secures Funds to Provide Job Training for Youth in Commerce, Justice and Science Bill
Washington, DC– Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced that the Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill includes $100,000 to provide smart grid technology job training in our community. Target occupations will include electrical meter installers, meter testers, communications technicians and verification/test technicians.
“This funding is focused on the need for job training for young people trying to enter the job market for the first time,” Rep. Schiff said. “It will provide an opportunity for young people to equip themselves with marketable skills in a growing field so they can gain employment, even in a challenging economy. This investment will not only benefit youth in our community by preparing them for the working world, but it will also further the development and use of smart grid technologies that create local jobs, protect our environment and help consumers save money.”
The project will be developed and implemented through a collaboration of four primary partners. The Verdugo Workforce Investment Board will oversee and administrate the project; Glendale Community College will provide classroom instruction; Glendale Youth Alliance, which specializes in employment of at-risk youth in Glendale and Burbank, will recruit eligible trainees and refer them to the college; and Glendale Water and Power will provide internships and on-the-job training to the trainees. Qualified trainees may be selected for permanent, full-time jobs as they become available.
“We are so thankful to Rep. Schiff for recognizing the need to create career opportunities for youth in our community,” said Don Nakamoto, the Executive Director of the Verdugo Workforce Investment Board. “We are facing major labor shortages, not just locally in Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena, but all across the country. This funding will help introduce at-risk youth to opportunities in an industry that could grow into a longer-term occupation for them. We hope this program will provide the training needed to open up a whole a new career path for the youth in our community.”