Renewable energy group RES announced the U.S. Department of Labor has recognized the company as an Apprenticeship Ambassador. Ambassadors will serve as champions in promoting, expanding and diversifying Registered Apprenticeships and strengthening the nation’s workforce. In becoming an Ambassador, RES has committed itself to promoting Registered Apprenticeships as a valuable workforce strategy within the renewable energy industry, seeking to develop and expand opportunities for people historically underserved.
“We are so proud to be recognized by the Department of Labor for our commitment to diversifying and supporting the American workforce,” said John Rohde, CEO of RES in the Americas. “Through our apprentice program, we will bring in strong new talent to the renewable energy industry.”
Renewable energy apprenticeships will soon become even more crucial as companies will be required to employ a certain number of them to receive the full ITC.
As a part of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative that was passed in 2021, ambassadors will:
- Promote and expand awareness of the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship in the U.S. for industry, employers, career seekers, educators, and communities as a whole
- Identify and scale innovative practices and partnerships to modernize, strengthen, and accelerate the adoption of Registered Apprenticeship
- Increase access and support for underrepresented and underserved populations in Registered Apprenticeship including women, youth, people of color, rural communities, justice-involved individuals and people with disabilities
- Communicate the business case for Registered Apprenticeship as a mainstream workforce strategy for high-demand industries and creating opportunities for good jobs for all Americans across the economy
RES has pledged to develop best practices in order to bridge the gap between standard training and true education and understanding. The company will also host organizational open houses for prospective apprentices, educational, training or other stakeholders on behalf of the Dept. of Labor, as well as a variety of other efforts to support the success of American workers, employers and communities across the country.
RES’ apprenticeship program was launched in 2014 and has rapidly grown since then, experiencing a 540% increase in enrollment. In 2021, RES restructured its program to create four unique paths for an apprentice, where an apprentice could gain experience within Substation, Distribution or Transmission, or rotating between all three as part of the HV Electrician apprentice. RES currently has 32 apprentices in the program, compared to just five in 2019.
News item from RES
