By Khalida Sarwari
Laney College in Oakland will receive a $500,000 grant as part of a new $1.5 million initiative announced Wednesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to train unemployed workers and youth who are involved or are at risk of getting involved in gangs.
The program, titled “The Oakland Green Jobs Corps,” will offer a career pathway to high-wage green jobs with solar and construction employers.
Alongside offering social support, the program provides college accredited training in construction skills, solar installation and energy auditing.
Graduates of the program are able to transition to paid internships or on-the-job training at wages of $15-$18 per hour.
According to Schwarzenegger, “When the California economy needs it the most, these grants will help at-risk youth and provide job training and employment opportunities in California’s emerging green industries.”
The program helps to advance three of the Governor’s key goals, which include the stimulation of the economy, leading the way to a green economy and combating gang violence.
Paul Seave, the director of the Governor’s Gang and Youth Violence Policy Office, said, “The opportunity to obtain new job skills in programs like the Oakland Green Jobs Corps provides an alternative to gang-involvement, creating a path to financial self-sufficiency.”
The program will receive funding from the Governor’s 15 percent Discretionary Workforce Investment Act Funds and the 25 percent portion of Dislocated Worker Funds under the administrative authority of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s Employment Development Department.