Bux Green Jobs Academy

from the inbox:

Today, Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) joined Gamesa USA and Bucks County Community College to launch a brand new training program at the Green Jobs Academy. With Bucks County continuing to emerge as a center for green job creation in Pennsylvania, the program will provide a cutting-edge addition to teach workers how to manufacture, install and operate the key components needed for wind energy production.

Shortly after taking office, Rep. Murphy met with leaders in the renewable energy industry and learned that workforce development was an obstacle to the growth of the green energy sector in the region. To address this need, Rep. Murphy partnered with Bucks County Community College to create the Green Jobs Academy. Its primary goal is ensuring that Bucks workers can participate and compete in the renewable energy industry, creating jobs, protecting the environment, and lessening our dependence on foreign oil.

“This new hands-on training program will get Bucks County workers ready to compete for the high-paying green jobs that can’t be shipped overseas,” said Rep. Murphy.

Murphy added that the partnership between Gamesa and the Community College demonstrates the deep commitment the company has to the region and our workers. Gamesa is a world leader in wind energy development and deployment. The company employs 6,300 workers worldwide, including 800 in North America, with 550 in Pennsylvania, where the company has invested more than $220 million since 2004. The U.S. jobs are as varied as wind turbine component manufacturing; wind farm construction and turbine installation; wind turbine operations and maintenance; logistics and engineering; legal and marketing services; and much more.

“Workers at every skill level are in high demand as the green economy flourishes,” said Luis Miguel Fernandez, Chief Corporate Officer of Gamesa North America. “This academy will help us with the skilled labor we need to keep building America’s clean energy future.”

Gamesa will support the Green Jobs Academy both as a primary user and through company-developed wind energy training and curriculum resources. Gamesa recently launched its own Corporate University, which includes in-person and online facilities outfitted with the latest equipment and materials to train workers across the globe in sustainable technologies. The Academy will serve as Gamesa’s U.S. base.

“The College is pleased to be partnering with Gamesa in its wind energy leadership role and in this model of training, which brings together the proven educational resources of both organizations. The Bridge Business Center and Green Jobs Academy site are quickly becoming the place to be for both training and development of sustainable science and technology. It is altogether fitting that Gamesa is a signature partner in this enterprise,” said Bucks County Community College President Dr. James Linksz.

Along with Gamesa, industry partners in the Green Jobs Academy include AEPolysilicon, Y-Carbon, Dow Chemical, Lockheed Martin, PECO, Rhodia and Drexel University.