It has been more than a year since President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – the health care, climate, and tax package that, along with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and CHIPS and Science Act, has become one of the Administration’s signature legislative achievements. The bill provides $369 billion to fund climate and energy provisions, including to accelerate the buildout of renewable energy, speed up the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), and aid in the development of energy efficiency technologies in disadvantaged communities.
In addition to the clean energy tax provisions that are intended to promote renewable energy production, energy-efficient building and improvements, and clean vehicle deployment, the IRA also funds a range of federal programs that focus on climate, energy, and environmental sustainability. It authorizes $3 billion for Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants to award funds and provide technical assistance for environmentally related activities that benefit disadvantaged communities. This funding will allow community-based nonprofit organizations to provide workforce development activities that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. The IRA also authorizes grants and rebates to help State and municipal entities replace their existing dirty vehicle fleets with new zero-emission vehicles. Recipients can use these funds to cover costs associated with workforce development and training that supports the maintenance, charging, fueling, and operation of zero-emission vehicles. In addition, owners and sponsors of affordable housing, including supportive housing for the elderly or people with disabilities, will have access to grants or loans to implement or promote energy or water efficiency, indoor air quality, zero-emission electricity generation, low-emission building materials, and other green housing practices.
In recent remarks at the Brookings Institution, John Podesta, senior White House advisor for clean energy innovation and implementation, noted that the IRA has already created an estimated 170,000 clean energy jobs and is expected to create more than 1.5 million more jobs over the next decade. He also stressed that many of these jobs will not require a four-year college degree. The IRA’s investments in the green economy will create new demands for a skilled workforce in fast-growing clean industry sectors.
Goodwill, in partnership with Accenture, has launched the Goodwill Clean Tech AcceleratorTM to equip job seekers and career advancers with the employability and technical skills needed for good jobs in solar and storage, EV charging infrastructure, and heat pump installation. Participants will earn as they learn through intensive, hands-on, competency-based training as well as tailored employment readiness and career placement services. “As our labor market transitions, we see important opportunities for people to move into more promising roles with better pay,” said Steve Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “The Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator will open doors for people in an expanding industry and provide support to employers who are helping us transition to a more sustainable world.” Learn more about Goodwill’s efforts to build America’s clean tech workforce.
