SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER $1 MILLION FOR CUTTING-EDGE GREEN JOB TRAINING PROGRAM AT UNITED WAY OF LONG ISLAND

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the United Way of Long Island had been awarded a $1,100,000 Department of Labor (DOL) grant to support the YouthBuild Long Island Green Construction Training Lab that provides outofschool youth with occupational training in green construction. Through partnerships with a variety of local businesses and unions, youth in the program receive training in jobs like energy efficiency, weatherization, and EnergyStar construction, as well as professional credentials for green employment employment with local businesses. Schumer said that this grant will provide Long Island youth with a leg up in this rapidly expanding industry and keep Long Island on the cutting edge of the latest in green construction.
 
"Green jobs are the future, and we must make sure our workforce has the training and skills necessary to remain at the cutting edge of this booming industry," said Schumer. "This grant will spur job creation on Long Island by providing local youth with the tools, training, and experience needed to successfully compete for jobs in this growing sector of the Long Island economy."
 
YouthBuild Long Island's Green Construction Training Lab, located in Deer Park, Long Island prepares youth for green collar jobs like weatherization, EnergyStar construction, and home performance. The program also has alliances with a host of local businesses including Home Depot, and students can receive professional credentials for employment at Home Depot as energy surveyors as well as employment opportunities with contractors specializing in green construction and renewable energy. Local unions, including the Empire State Carpenters Apprenticeship Union and National Grid Local 1049 IBEW have also agreed to hire qualified graduates of YouthBuild Long Island.
 
YouthBuild Long Island provides free education and training to lowincome adults between 18 and 24 years of age, including construction training and career development. Nationwide, YouthBuild programs, administered by the DOL, provide occupational training to youth across 45 U.S. States as well as the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.