Recovery in Action: Re-training Auto Workers and Creating Jobs

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND, 2009

Recovery in Action: Re-training Auto Workers and Creating Jobs

Posted by Nathan Sterken

Recovery Act funds continued to roll out this week, financing the re-training of displaced automotive workers and creating jobs across the country. In Missouri, the Executive Director of the White House Council on Auto Communities and Workers announced the availability of $25 million to re-train former automotive workers:

"America’s auto workers have sacrificed so much during this economic downturn, and it’s our responsibility to stand with them during these difficult times. These grants help those workers who have been displaced learn new skills in these high growth and emerging industries and get support in finding where these new jobs are. "

This week has also seen the beginning of dozens of projects funded by the Recovery Act that not only create jobs, but help make us a stronger country in the long haul. As detailed in the following press clips, Americans young and old are finding employment thanks to the Recovery Act doing work ranging from helping the elderly to contributing to the creation of a new clean energy economy:

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Colorado, Denver Post, 7/21/09

Colorado gets $19.6 million stimulus "With the approval of Colorado's plan for renewable-energy and efficiency projects, the state is receiving $19.6 million in federal economic-stimulus money. The funding, announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Energy, is part of a total of $49 million for energy projects Colorado is eligible for under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ‘What we are trying to do is not just one-time projects,’ said Todd Hartman, spokesman for the Governor's Energy Office. ‘We want to use the funds to build up infrastructure for energy efficiency and renewables.’ The programs include financial incentives to builders to promote energy efficiency in new-home construction and to homeowners for energy efficiency in existing homes. Another program would provide increased rebates for installing solar and wind systems. There is also a revolving loan program and a financing program to help with business and residential energy investment. ‘It's a very innovative plan,’ said Howard Geller, executive director of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, a nonprofit energy-advocacy group based in Boulder."

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090720/FREE/907209978#">Michigan, Crain’s Detroit Business, 7/20/09

State has $15 million in federal funds to help small manufacturers diversify "The state has $15 million in federal stimulus funds to help small Michigan manufacturing companies diversify into renewable energy technologies. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, announced Monday by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, targets investments in advanced manufacturing of renewable energy systems and wind turbine systems, solar technologies, bio-energy equipment and geothermal heating and cooling systems. The goal of the funding is to create new markets for Michigan manufacturers, provide support to renewable energy original equipment manufacturers and tier-one suppliers, and create anchor companies that attract other businesses to Michigan. The state plans to award grants, loans, or a combination of the two, according to a request for proposals issued by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth's Bureau of Energy Systems. For-profit manufacturing businesses located in Michigan with 500 or fewer full-time or equivalent employees are eligible. A business that relocates to Michigan by the time of an award also will be considered eligible. The RFP says preference will be given to companies that demonstrate a 50 percent cost share of the total allowable project costs, although cost sharing is not applicable to companies that are approved to receive a revolving loan."

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