Pre-apprenticeships aim to diversify the trades workforce

A team of Evergreen Home Performance workers gather around the open back of a company box truck. The crew is a mix of Black and white men wearing green and red t-shirts or button-ups. — PHOTO: MOLLY HALEY, COURTESY OF EVERGREEN HOME PERFORMANCE

Industry News

By Amy Paradysz

GETTING MORE SKILLED WORKERS in the pipeline for green energy jobs is crucial to fulfilling Maine Won’t Wait goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With that mind, the Governor’s Energy Office has invested $2 million in pre-apprenticeships to train a more diverse workforce in renewable energy fields.

Partnered with ReVision Energy, Portland Adult Ed is teaching “Renewable Energy Careers: Introduction to Solar Installation and Heat Pumps” to help multilingual adults prepare for jobs with companies like ReVision, Evergreen Home Performance and Maine Solar Solutions. Similar programs will be hosted by passivhausMAINE, Biddeford School Department and Biddeford Adult Education, Maine Math & Science Alliance, Oxford Hills and Nezinscot Adult Education, and the University of Maine at Orono.

Separate from these state-funded programs, the Union Construction Academy of Maine (UCA), sometimes referred to as “college for the trades,” offers a four-week pre-apprenticeship that can be the first step toward a career as a union carpenter, electrician, elevator constructor, ironworker, insulator, laborer, plumber or sheet metal worker. With a goal of diversifying the workforce, UCA welcomes women, immigrants, and in some cases, Mainers with criminal records.

UCA participants earn a stipend while earning safety certifications, learning to read blueprints and do construction math, and practicing hands-on skills such as pouring concrete and setting up scaffolding. This program run by the Maine AFL-CIO is intended for anyone interested in the trades, even if they haven’t yet chosen a specific field. No previous experience necessary.

For more information: maineaflcio.org