The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) fund projects that design, develop, and implement projects that accelerate employment and re-employment strategies for California job seekers.

The State Board and EDD fund projects and partnership to create and prototype innovative strategies that bridge education and workforce gaps for targeted populations and implement models and practices in the workforce delivery system.

Under the Workforce Accelerator Fund (currently funding 4.0 in 2017), projects are to accelerate skill development, employment, and reemployment for one or more of the target populations (long-term unemployed, returning veterans, individuals with disabilities, CalWORKS participants, disconnected youth, ex-offenders, and immigrant job seekers.

Under the Fund 4.0, the goals are:

• Improve labor market skills and outcomes for the target group through the development of strategies that fill gaps, accelerate processes, or customize services to ensure greater access to workforce services and employment opportunities;
• Create new modes for service delivery and funding alignment that can be replicated across the State and tailored to regional needs;
• Leverage State investment with commitments form industry, labor, public and community partners.

Our project creates a new business model for the home performance industry and opens a career path for returning veterans as certified building performance professionals. Creating the first version of the energy + health assessment model that can be easily replicated in the California workforce. The project builds upon industry-accepted certifications to create an energy + health nexus for existing and new workforce participants by combining healthy homes principles with energy audits, building science and home performance assessments. This project will develop a training program and industry-accepted pathway for returning veterans and existing professionals to be able to evaluate health-related conditions in a home and provide recommended solutions and interventions to improve the healthiness of a home.

This project will 1) prepare returning veterans with the knowledge and job skills to enter the workforce by delivering industry-accepted BPI-BA and BPI-HHE certification training supported by mentoring and business training; and 2) provide homeowners with a healthy home assessment that shows them how to improve their home environment. Energy efficiency is one of the fastest growing industries in California.

USNRG, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit teamed with CalCERTS, Inc., the Building Performance Center, National Veterans Transition Services, Inc., Energy & Environmental Consulting and Kevin Kennedy, MPH, the Director of Environmental Health at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics.

Service delivery goals for this project is:

• 9 returning veterans served / 12 families receive healthy home assessments
• The successful completion of dual certification by 9 veterans
• The successful completion of 12 healthy home assessments

Project Period: start early February 2017 / end 12 months later
Contract amount $150,000