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“Green Jobs” Training Program Launched to Help “Blue and White Collar” Dislocated Workers Find New Jobs

A new “green jobs” training program to qualify dislocated “blue” and “white” collar workers for newly emerging “green” collar jobs in the fields of construction, transportation, and energy, will be introduced April 19 by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The training program was developed in partnership with Rutgers University, School of Engineering; Union County College’s Industry-Business Institute; and Union County government’s Workforce Investment Board (WIB).

Two orientation sessions will be held Wednesday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Elizabeth campus of Union County College, in the Dr. Thomas Brown Center for Business and Educational Advancement, Suite K 519, 40 West Jersey Street. Pre-Registration is required.

According to Freeholder Chair, Deborah P. Scanlon, the program will offer two training and nationally recognized certification tracks. The residential track, designed for displaced construction/manufacturing workers, includes courses in residential home energy inspection and solar panel installation. Prior work experience in the construction or electrical trades will help individuals succeed in this track.

The commercial track is designed for the displaced professional workforce, such as Information Technology (IT) professionals who may work as systems analysts, computer programmers, trainers, project leaders; project managers; marketing and sales workers; accountants, etc. This track will focus on the new “Sustainability Management” career. This new occupation encompasses public relations, environmental regulatory compliance, and the ability to identify cost reductions through energy savings, supply chain, and manufacturing waste.

“The Sustainability Manager must not only be ‘green smart,’ but also must possess skills in leadership, risk assessment, strategic thinking, budgeting, business case development, and change management,” stated Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon. “Put simply, Sustainability Managers are spearheading the economy’s transformation into the new green economy,” added Freeholder Scanlon.

Green jobs may be defined as jobs that will reduce pollution and benefit the environment by making our transportation systems, vehicles, appliances, buildings and energy resources cleaner and more efficient, Freeholder Scanlon noted.

“Sustainability has become an integral part of today’s successful business strategy, coalescing environmental stewardship with increased revenue and profits. It’s not only the right thing to do, but it’s good business,” said Stephen Carter, Director of Continuing and Professional Education at Rutgers University School of Engineering.

“Having our clients achieve industry-driven and endorsed credentials is a great advantage when seeking employment. Employers can instantly evaluate the level of training and have confidence the candidate meets qualifications.” Said Kevin Lynott, Chairman of the Union County Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The Union County WIB, as other county WIBs in New Jersey, is responsible for the planning and development of the local workforce readiness system, including all workforce and labor market services designed to prepare and link potential workers to meet the demands of the labor market and insure that employment, training and education programs effectively link these potential workers to the best available jobs.

To register, please contact Elizabeth Paskewich at the Union County Workforce Investment Board,908-527-4886 or epaskewich@ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj