Using $1.25 million from the Low-Carbon Economy Workforce program, the Expanding Energy Storage and Microgrid Training and Certification (EESAMTAC) project is increasing the number of participating Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers from six to 21 centers located across the State. These training centers will help electricians and apprentices earn a certification demonstrating they have the skills to safely handle and diagnose modern energy storage systems and battery technologies.
As California strives to reach its goal of 100 percent greenhouse gas-free electricity by 2045, energy markets are increasingly using renewable energy, which in turn drives up demand for energy storage and microgrid systems. To keep up with this demand, the State’s electrical workforce must have advanced, specialized training to handle a new generation of technology. This training and certification program was developed out of recognition of this need, and the expansion of ESAMTAC is a collaboration between the California and Nevada International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers/National Electrical Contractors Association Labor Management Cooperation Trust, ICF International, EESAMTAC, and ProtoGen Energy.
Bernie Kotlier, Executive Director of the Labor Management Cooperation Trust, notes, “This funding is critical to developing the infrastructure for training thousands of California electricians and building a skilled energy storage and microgrid workforce in the coming years that optimizes safety and performance. The EESAMTAC project supports California’s climate goals and provides industry-recognized certifications that competitively positions workers to access high-quality career jobs in their communities.”
To date, the project has supported the development of a train-the-trainer course and is working to distribute custom-built training equipment to the training centers, including specially designed low-voltage batteries simulating actual power connections and circuits. The project will enroll up to 600 electricians and apprentices, with over half being from disadvantaged communities.
“The expansion of the ESAMTAC training will give more of our electricians specialized hands-on performance and safety training in a growing industry and a recognized credential that employers can rely on,” says Diana Limon, training director of the Electrical Training Institute of Southern California.