Hudson Valley Community College was one stop Jan. 14 when U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited the Capital District with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko. The day’s focus was local initiatives designed to expand clean renewable energy, and develop a strong, secure power grid across the country. The guests toured Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills, Lang Hall Welding Laboratory and Questar III STEM High School.
Prior to the visit to HVCC, President Roger Ramsammy attended a press conference at the Port of Albany where Governor Kathy Hochul, alongside Secretary Granholm and other dignitaries, announced the finalization of contracts between the NYSERDA and Empire Wind Offshore LLC and Beacon Wind LLC, each a 50-50 partnership between Equinor and bp, for the Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects, representing a key milestone in the advancement of offshore wind development in New York State.
Gov. Hochul noted that HVCC’s is one of two winning proposals awarded under the State’s $20 million Offshore Wind Training Institute, the largest public investment in offshore wind workforce development by any state in the U.S. The college will share $569,618 with LaGuardia Community College in Queens to support early training and skills development for disadvantaged communities and priority populations — including veterans, individuals with disabilities, low-income individuals, homeless individuals, and single parents — in both the Capital Region and New York City.
The Governor’s website described the college’s Wind initiative: “To help build a strong pipeline for the Capital Region’s offshore wind initiative, HVCC recently began offering a two-year associate degree in welding and fabrication, and will focus student recruitment efforts on priority populations in urban and rural disadvantaged communities, providing full or partial scholarships to participants. Foundational welding skills training will be provided by the Capital Region Educational Opportunity Center, a division of HVCC with additional non-credit training and certifications be provided at the college’s main campus. The college will also partner with regional manufacturers building turbine components to provide a skilled workforce pipeline of welders and fabricators, aiming to train 75 individuals.”
Penny Hill (right), the college’s dean of Economic Development and Workforce Initiatives, guides a tour of the CAMS with (left to right) U.S. Representative Paul Tonko, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, President Roger Ramsamy and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. (Photo: Vincent Giordano)
Local media coverage of Secretary Granholm’s visit included:
The Gazette
The Spotlight
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
WNYT NBC News Channel 13
WRGB CBS News 6
Added Jan. 19:
Department of Energy
Queens Daily Eagle
Renewable Energy Magazine
Published: Thu, 20 Jan 2022 12:55:05 +0000 by d.gardner