Press Releases
Media Release
University System of Ohio Aims to Make State a Green Workforce Leader
Chancellor Announces Ohio Green Pathways Advisory Panel
For Immediate Release | December 1, 2009
COLUMBUS—Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut today formally announced the establishment of an advisory panel to position Ohio as a national green workforce leader. The Ohio Green Pathways Advisory Panel is charged with developing a comprehensive understanding of green workforce demand, building and expanding relationships with green industry leaders, and identifying strategies to create and expand new green opportunities in Ohio.
"Ohio is already ranked in the top five for clean energy job creation, energy efficiency and environmentally friendly production jobs, and is first in the nation for renewable and advanced energy manufacturing," said Fingerhut, citing a recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts. "The Advisory Panel will ensure that the University System of Ohio advances the state’s economy by leading the way in green education and training programs."
The 20-member panel is comprised of leaders from business and industry, higher education institutions, and state agencies, all representing green workforce and industry in Ohio. They include:
- Dale Arnold, Director of Energy Policy, Ohio Farm Bureau and Director, Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation
- Jay Bahr, Regional Workforce Director, Region 2 (Toledo), Ohio Department of Development
- Bruce Braine, Vice President for Strategic Policy Analysis, American Electric Power
- Tim Burga, Chief of Staff, AFL/CIO
- Michael Evans, Senior Workforce Development Specialist, Workforce and Talent division, Ohio Department of Development
- Jane Harf, Director, University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio
- Corey Hawkey, Sustainability Coordinator, Ohio Board of Regents
- Jerry Hutton, Dean, Hocking College Energy Institute
- Sarah Letourneau, Labor-Climate Project Regional Program Manager, Blue Green Alliance
- Steve Lipster, Training Director, Electrical Trades Center, IBEW
- Andrew Maciejewski, Executive Administrator, Ohio Apprenticeship Council
- Ray Miller, Superintendent of Utilities, Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Co-Chair, Ohio Energy Workforce Consortium
- Raenell Nagel, Senior Director of Policy and Strategic Planning, Ohio Environmental Council
- Bill Spratley, Executive Director, Green Energy Ohio
- Norm Stevens, Co-Director, Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization
- Richard Stuebi, Principal, Advanced Energy Initiative, Cleveland Foundation
- Dennis Ulrich, Executive Director, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Workforce Development Center and Region 5, Ohio Skills Bank
- Patrick Valente, Executive Director, Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition
- John Villers, Director of Adult Education, Upper Valley Joint Vocational School
- John Weber, Acting Deputy Director of Office of Workforce Development, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
After the panel’s first meeting on January 13, 2010, it will recommend to the Chancellor ways to expand access to affordable educational pathways for green jobs and market Ohio's green job pathways as an economic development tool for the State of Ohio. Ultimately, they will help businesses find quality employees and attract businesses to the state as outlined in Ohio's 10-year Strategic Plan for Higher Education.
"Environmental sustainability will be the primary driver of the new economy," said Keith Dimoff, executive director of the Ohio Environmental Council. "Ohio Green Pathways will position Ohio to provide business with the skilled workforce necessary to harness the power of this evolving force."
Establishing the panel was the first of two goals stemming from the Ohio Green Pathways project launched in July 2009. Ohio Green Pathways is a collaboration of the University System of Ohio and the Ohio Environmental Council to link education and training opportunities with jobs in green industries across the state. The second goal of the project was to develop a catalog to showcase all green programs within the University System of Ohio.
The University System of Ohio's Green Program Catalog is for current and prospective students, as well as individuals in the current workforce and dislocated workers, to easily find opportunities around the state that will prepare them for in-demand green jobs. The first edition of the catalog can be found at http://www.uso.edu/greenpathways and provides information on the System's community colleges and adult workforce centers and their green associate degree and certificate training programs.
The university component of the catalog is scheduled for release in early 2010. When combined with this current edition, the catalog will provide a comprehensive directory of current and emerging green programs available throughout the System to all Ohioans.
The Ohio Green Pathways project exists in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' (ODJFS) two recently awarded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Labor Market Information Improvement grants aimed at building a skilled workforce for green jobs in Ohio. ODJFS will partner with the Governor's Workforce Policy Advisory Board and the University System of Ohio on the first grant, which will provide the state $1 million to identify the skills most needed by green industries so that education and training programs can be developed around those needs. Ohio will share the second grant – a total of $4 million – with Indiana and Michigan, to coordinate their efforts to help dislocated auto industry workers pursue new career paths in green industries.
Contact: Michael Chaney, Chief Communications Officer, Ohio Board of Regents
Office: (614) 752-9480 Cell: (614) 633-5909
E-mail: mchaney@regents.state.oh.us
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