The City of Charlotte, in partnership with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and Central Piedmont, is launching an additional fall cohort of its Renewable Energy and Efficiency Workforce (RENEW) training program on Oct. 6.

RENEW provides paid training in the areas of construction; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); and the electrical trades.

“These skill sets are in high demand in the Charlotte region,” said Brian Lucas, associate dean of skilled trades at Central Piedmont. “RENEW will teach eligible students the basic skills they need to succeed in the workforce and potentially place them in successful full-time, entry-level employment opportunities upon completion.”

The upcoming 16-week training classes will be held virtually and in person at both the Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center, located at 1335 Alleghany St., and on Central Piedmont’s Harper Campus, located in southwest Charlotte. The classes are scheduled from Oct. 6, 2020 to Feb. 5, 2021, and will focus on a variety of subjects, including:

• basic residential and commercial construction
• HVAC training, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and building automation systems
• basic electrical training that can potentially lead to job placement in facility management, electrical trade work, solar/photovoltaic panel installation and maintenance, and/or electric vehicle maintenance and charging infrastructure careers
• general energy management concepts

In addition to learning real world skills, students will receive: a stipend of $15/hour, career counseling in preparation for a paid work-based learning opportunity, OSHA 10 and EPA 608 certifications, and full-time employment within the industry.

The deadline to apply for participation in the fall 2020 cohort is Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

Questions? Contact Marvin Kelley with the Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center at 704.839.4235 or via email.