As part of the College’s annual Earth Day celebration, SUNY Sullivan hosted a green job fair and stakeholder summit on Friday, April 28. Presented in partnership with Clean Energy Careers NY, New Yorkers for Clean Power, and Mid-Hudson Valley Clean Energy Hub, the summit focused on workforce development for solar energy, weatherization, energy auditing, heat pumps, geothermal, insulation, and other green industries.
According to Clean Energy NY, New York State’s Climate Action Plan is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy. Implementing this plan requires a massive investment in the economy. The number of clean energy jobs in New York is predicted to increase by more than 200,000 this decade, greatly accelerating the need for an educated and skilled workforce. The majority of these jobs are in the building sector, as the plan calls for eventually electrifying all of NY’s 6 million buildings.
In addition to a keynote talk by Sullivan County Acting Commissioner of Planning, Community Development & Environmental Management Heather Brown, and Dwayne R. Norris, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Soulful Synergy, the event included a job fair walk-through, local workforce expert panel, networking lunch, and breakout sessions, which explored workforce skills, wraparound services, and ways to reach untapped and underserved populations and increase awareness of green job opportunities.
SUNY Sullivan Sustainability Coordinator Larry Reeger said the event provided valuable insight and resources to green job seekers.
“This job fair and summit directly ties in with the mission and goals of SUNY Sullivan, including the College’s Green Building Technology AAS degree program,” said Reeger, who said the new Sullivan Promise Scholarship offers Sullivan County residents who earn a high school diploma or GED in 2023 the opportunity to receive free tuition and fees to attend SUNY Sullivan, including the Green Building Technology Program.
Other participants in the event included the SUNY Sullivan Green Building Technology Program, New Yorkers for Clean Power, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development and Environmental Management, Sullivan County Office of Sustainable Energy, LaBella Associates, New York Power Authority, C.R. Wolfe Heating and Cooling, New York Department of Labor, and Communities for Local Power.
For information on sustainability at SUNY Sullivan, please visit sunysullivan.edu/sustainable-sullivan.
For more information on the summit’s sponsors, please visit cleanenergycareersny.org, midhudsonenergychoices.org, or nyforcleanpower.org.
About SUNY Sullivan
SUNY Sullivan is the leader of innovative higher education and a catalyst for workforce development throughout the Sullivan Catskills and beyond. Our diverse community cultivates personal growth and professional advancement, preparing students for success in a sustainable and interconnected world. A forward-looking, top-tier community college in New York, SUNY Sullivan offers over 40 degree programs, certificates, and micro-credentials for learners at all levels of their educational goals. We value critical inquiry and creativity while supporting our students in a culture of inclusion and respect. For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu.
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May 3, 2023.