Green Academy Graduates

from the inbox:

Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) attended the first graduation of the PA Veterans Green Jobs Training Program, a program at Bucks County Community College’s Green Jobs Academy that Murphy helped launch and which began earlier this summer. After 12 weeks of classes specifically focused on green energy, including electrical pre-apprenticeship and solar PV basics, nine veterans are graduating from the program prepared to enter careers in the emerging green job market. Tuition for the program was subsidized for veterans, several of whom already have job leads lined up with local green energy contractors.

“I’ve fought for this program because I believe we need to start preparing Bucks County workers today for the green jobs of tomorrow,” said Murphy.

As part of the program, veterans completed internships with local green energy employers. Before the graduation, Paul Dooley, a member of the graduating class, demonstrated the work he had done through his internship with a local construction company. He helped to build part of a wind turbine, called a nacelle, which will be used by other students at the Green Jobs Academy to learn about wind energy.

“Supporting our veterans means making sure that they have good jobs available when they complete their service, and that’s what today is about,” Murphy added.

Patrick Murphy helped launch the Green Jobs Academy, securing funding so the college, in collaboration with three area vocational technical schools, could develop a program to provide needed green manufacturing training and career development. The program is helping meet the workforce needs of Bucks County and is part of Murphy’s ongoing efforts to attract new green energy companies to the area.