Suffolk County has purchased a state-owned property located in Brentwood for $1.46 million to create a National Offshore Wind Training Center.
The site is a 50,000-square-foot under-utilized building on about 5 acres on Wicks Road. It comes with a 22-year licensing agreement with the county, will be home to a facility aimed at providing training in wind power technology, particularly for high school students and college-age individuals.
The NOWTC facility will be funded by a $10 million investment by Sunrise Wind (a joint venture of Ørsted A/S and Eversource Energy), in partnership with the Long Island Federation of Labor-AFLCIO, the Nassau and Suffolk Building and Construction Trades Council, Suffolk County Community College, International Brotherhood of Electric Workers, the Utility Workers Union of America, BlueGreen Alliance and Minority Millennials.
In addition, Gov. Kathy Hochul launched a $9 million competitive solicitation through the state’s Offshore Wind Training Institute for proposals for new workforce development and training initiatives from technical/vocational high schools, community colleges, universities, unions, training and job placement intermediaries, community-based organizations and non-profit organizations.
The effort is being led by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in collaboration with the State University of New York Farmingdale State College and Stony Brook University, for expanded offshore wind workforce development and training initiatives to address workforce gaps and prepare New Yorkers for high-growth jobs in the wind power industry.
The training initiatives support the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
“We are partnering with innovative, industry leading companies and spearheading billions in public and private investments to spur economic development and good-paying jobs for New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a written statement. “The national Offshore Wind Training Center will enhance our efforts to prepare our workforce for the green jobs of the future, support the physical infrastructure needed for these clean energy projects, and solidify New York’s role as a global leader in this powerhouse industry.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said: “Ensuring that every individual in every community in our region has the same opportunity for success is key to growing our economy. This community-centered hub is a place for education, government, industry and the community to come together to open doors to opportunity. The partnership with the National Offshore Wind Training Center will allow our residents to be at the center of the emerging offshore wind industry.”
The newly created NOWTC will collaborate with the state’s $20 million Offshore Wind Training Institute (OWTI) to establish comprehensive and cross-cutting offshore wind and clean energy training and workforce development initiatives. The OWTI will train 2,500 New York workers beginning this year through 2027 to support both offshore and onshore renewable energy projects.
“Clean energy means new jobs and the National Offshore Wind Training Center will position Long Islanders to reap the economic benefits of this brand-new industry off our coast,” said Matt Cohen, Long Island Association president & CEO.
Nassau and Suffolk Building and Construction Trades President Matthew Aracich thanked the governor for her efforts in advancing the offshore wind industry here on Long Island.
The NOWTC “facility will serve as a magnet to attract talent through workforce development programs in the Brentwood community and help point the youth to explore new paths in career opportunities,” Aracich said in the statement. “NOWTC’s strategic partnership with Orsted and Maersk will create a central training facility that will make GWO certification available to anyone working in the Offshore Wind industry and fills a niche that is needed in preparation for the 9GW of offshore wind we are building right here on Long Island.”
For more details on the training solicitation visit: nyserda.ny.gov.
This content was originally published here.
