Friday, August 16, 2024 / Categories: Department News NMDWS receives $1.5 million Grant for Energy Transition Workforce Equity Out of more than 450 applications, the Families and Workers Fund selected the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions' Energy Transition Workforce Equity project to be one of 14 awardees of the Powering Climate and Infrastructure Careers Challenge.The Energy Transition Workforce Equity project will support NMDWS’ efforts to develop and expand New Mexico’s qualified clean energy workforce capacity. The new project will include systemic, coordinated, and regular convenings of a diverse, comprehensive, representative partnership of employers, educational institutions, community-based organizations, state agencies and policymakers.The goals are to develop and expand training programs that equip individuals with skills needed for clean energy infrastructure jobs and related industries, and to prioritize diversity and inclusion by creating pathways for underrepresented groups. The grant will also help ensure that the millions of federal dollars coming into the state through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are effectively utilized to support a clean energy workforce. The three-year grant is divided between in-kind technical assistance and funding for the Department.“Governor Lujan Grisham has made expanding a workforce ready to tackle the challenges of clean energy and climate resilience a top priority. This grant will strengthen the state’s ability to prepare New Mexicans for sustainable job opportunities throughout the state and in tribal communities by supporting clean energy infrastructure development,” said NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair. “We are excited to bring businesses, education partners, and communities together to expand high-impact training programs and job-ready skills development in the clean energy infrastructure field.”The Powering Climate & Infrastructure Careers Challenge is designed to support the state and local agencies, education and training providers, and community organizations at the forefront of clean energy and infrastructure transition.“Preparing workers for the jobs that will be essential for the clean energy transition is critical to both our efforts to combat climate change and promote economic development in New Mexico,” said Melanie Kenderdine, Secretary-Designate of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. “We applaud NMDWS for securing these funds to aid this important endeavor.”“Many see the battle against the effects of climate change as an environmental effort, but it’s also an opportunity for economic development,” Environment Department Secretary James Kenney said. “These funds will allow New Mexican families to directly benefit from the State of New Mexico’s green energy transition by allowing young workers to gain lifelong professional skillsets and high-paying careers.”The objectives of this grant align with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Combined Plan that identifies construction, energy transition and claimant resilience as a top priority for workforce development.###About the Families and Workers FundThe Families and Workers Fund is a platform for collective action and a pooled $125+ million collaborative fund chaired by the Ford Foundation and supported by 40 diverse funders working together to build a more equitable economy that uplifts all. The Fund deploys catalytic partnerships and collaboration across philanthropy, government, and the private sector to develop a more inclusive, effective public benefits system and to advance jobs that sustain and uplift people. To date, the Fund has committed more than $52 million in grants and strategic partnerships, directly impacted 1.4 million people, and leveraged more than $15 billion in additional public and private investments. Key funders include the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Ballmer Group, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Gates Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, JPB Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Rockefeller Foundation, and Schmidt Futures. The Families and Workers Fund is housed at the Amalgamated Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) charity.About NMDWSThe New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) oversees the New Mexico public workforce system. The department is committed to supporting the business community and assisting New Mexicans seeking employment opportunities by bridging the link between employer needs and the skilled workforce. The department administers programs to include business services; workforce training; Unemployment Insurance; labor law enforcement; veterans’ services; and labor market information. Previous Article New Mexico's Unemployment Rate was 4.0% in July 2024 Next Article Unemployment Insurance Operations Center closed Monday in observance of Labor Day