Connecticut Gears Up for Green with Work Training
Gov. M. Jodi Rell said that a proposed "Green Collar" training program for the state's technical schools will prepare Connecticut's students for future job opportunities in environmental and energy conservation careers.
"Experts say there is the potential for hundreds of thousands of 'Green Collar' jobs to open up in communities across our nation over the next decade," Rell said. "We want Connecticut's students to be at the head of the line for those jobs – with the training, confidence, and expertise they need to succeed.
In her budget address on February 6, Rell proposed $125,000 investment for the development of a "Green Collar" training initiative. There are 18 schools with more than 10,000 full-time and 5,500 part-time students in the technical high school system.
If the proposed funding is approved by the Legislature, the technical schools will be able to expand on programs offered in construction-related fields to incorporate training in "green" technologies, Rell said.