Building New York’s Clean Energy Workforce

On Monday, August 10, at 12:00 PM we discussed “Building New York's Clean Energy Workforce: SUNY Morrisville & Ithaca Energy Warriors”. Our special guests were Dr. Ben Ballard, Professor of Renewable Energy at SUNY Morrisville, and Dr. Aloja Airewele, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Energy Warriors Program Leader.

SUNY Morrisville has one of New York's longest-running hands-on renewable energy education programs. Dr. Ballard’s presentation will highlight the degree programs, workforce training initiatives, and industry partnerships that prepare students for careers in solar, wind, clean heating and cooling, electrical systems, and energy project development.

The Energy Warriors Green Career Pathways program, directed by Dr. Airewele, provides training for people experiencing barriers to employment within the growing green jobs sector—including heat pump and solar installers, insulation technicians, and reuse specialists. This collaborative training program, grounded in the nationally recognized Roots of Success curriculum, brings together private employers, unions, public workforce development agencies, and educational organizations to provide paid training and a nurturing environment for their trainees.