Sustainability Workforce Training Center Will Expand Local Hiring Opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Underserved Communities in Fields of Clean Energy and Sustainability
Builds on Governor’s Efforts to Prepare New York’s Workforce for the Green Economy and Other 21st Century Sectors
See Pictures of the Sustainability Workforce Training Center Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a ribbon cutting marking the official opening of the Sustainability Workforce Training Center, the region’s first green job training center, on the West Side of Buffalo. The 2,500-square-foot facility – a project of PUSH Buffalo and Buffalo Neighborhood Stabilization Company (BNSC), and primarily funded by New York State grants – is a major investment for the West Side community and green workforce development. Creation of the region’s first green jobs training facility will further PUSH Buffalo’s mission to help meet climate and energy standards while also increasing access to clean energy-related job training and opportunities for members of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and disadvantaged communities. Over the next few years alone, PUSH expects that the Sustainability Workforce Training Center will at least double the number of its green workforce training program graduates, from 50 graduates per year to more than 100 per year.
“The green workforce revolution is here and Western New York is ready to meet the needs of sustainable businesses,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing in green workforce development like PUSH Buffalo’s new training center we can ensure the next generation of New Yorkers is prepared to fill the jobs of the future in our green economy.”
PUSH Buffalo Executive Director Dawn Wells-Clyburn said, “Today marks a momentous occasion as we cut the ribbon on our Sustainability Workforce Training Center, a beacon of hope for the next generation marching into the sustainable revolution that frontline communities deserve. We are profoundly grateful to every stakeholder who offered unwavering support for this project including our funders – Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, M&T Bank, the Kataly Foundation — and our partners at the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture. This center, built with a cutting-edge building envelope and energy-efficient approach to heating and cooling, stands as a testament to our commitment to a cleaner and resilient future. Our comprehensive training curriculum will empower the workforce with the skills and knowledge to lead in sustainability, driving innovation, and be the positive change we need in our communities and beyond.”
The Sustainability Workforce Training Center will train residents for careers in clean energy and sustainability, with a focus on sustainable building practices that create strong neighborhoods with quality, affordable housing. By expanding career options for BIPOC residents in the emerging sustainability field, the facility will also help address the racial wealth gap and provide opportunity in historically underserved communities.
The Sustainability Workforce Training Center was conceived, designed, and built as a direct expression of the Climate Act mandate for climate resiliency, economic equity, and a just transition away from fossil fuels. It stands as a model for cities across the state and nation for what the future of holistic sustainability implementation can look like in frontline communities.
Built on two vacant lots at 169 Arkansas Street and 298 Hampshire Street, the $2.5 million project provides a mix of flexible classroom, office, and meeting spaces. The building is designed to generate as much energy as it uses through an on-site PV solar system and a geothermal heating/cooling system, which will also serve as a learning laboratory for renewable energy training sessions. The Sustainability Workforce Training Center will also serve as the new home of PUSH’s Community Hiring Hall, originally established in 2013, as a first-of-its kind social enterprise business model for entry-level construction and sustainability workers in our region.
Read the full press release here.