Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to enter into not-for-profit service contracts with Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH), Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio Inc, and Impact Community Action to implement workforce training programs.
Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH), Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio Inc, and Impact Community Action are 503(c)(3) nonprofits that support workforce development for the solar and clean energy industry.
Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH)’s Columbus Based Solar Training program will recruit participants from marginalized and low-income communities, with a focus on justice involved individuals. Participants will be grouped into 2 Cohorts of 15 individuals over the course of a year. Each cohort participant will obtain a Photovoltaic Installer Level 1 Certification and sit for the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) PV1 National Certification. Courses will be conducted onsite in a group setting using online training sessions and coordinated classroom visits from professionals for hands-on training.
The Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator (CTA) is a 5-year initiative by Goodwill Industries International to create career pathways in advanced manufacturing. The program will launch in Central Ohio in 2025 and will prepare individuals for jobs in the clean energy and manufacturing sectors.
IMPACT Community Action will provide comprehensive solar workforce development training to 50 Central Ohio residents, focusing on historically disadvantaged populations. The program includes a six-week safety and introductory skilled trades pre-requisite training followed by a two-week specialized solar industry training in partnership with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). Training includes technical (NCCER and MREA curriculum) and soft skills instruction, culminating in certification exams.
These programs help achieve multiple pol...
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