Marano Fellows Class of 2011
Name: Georgia Howard
Organization:

Colorado State Energy Sector Partnership

Location: Denver, CO
Primary Industry Sector:

Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Type of Organization: State Agency & Local One Stops

“It‘s exciting to pursue strategies that better prepare job seekers for rewarding careers. The only way to be confident that you are providing resources that will result in job seekers getting the skills they need to compete is through an industry-led partnership.”

Organizational Mission: The Colorado State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP), launched in January 2010, is partnership between Colorado businesses, training providers and government to give businesses the workforce they need to thrive and grow and help Colorado workers have a bright future with a career in the energy efficient or renewal energy fields. Strategies include Energy Scholarships, Registered Apprenticeships, Youth Conservation Corps, Public Awareness & Youth Outreach, Entrepreneurial Training and Smart Grid Training.

Interest in Sector Work: Although our original goal was to provide support to both the unemployed as well as entry-level workers within the Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sectors, our business partners made it clear that they had no intention to hire new employees until the demand for their services drastically increased. However, they voiced a significant need for their entry-level employees to gain new skills and industry-recognized certifications so they could continue to compete in their current market. They also told us that the only way they would be able to add employees in the future, is if their current employees had the skills and certifications to help them explore new markets. Therefore, the majority of the efforts we have made are to provide training to entry-level workers (e.g. laborers, installers, weatherization techs, etc) in these sectors so that they can retain their job and be in a good position for career advancement.