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Ohio GROWs

Union teaches turbine work

Technicians converge on Rossford center

BY LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER
4/19/2011

http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2011/04/19/Union-teaches-turbine-work.html
Instructor Nate Eaton,nate ray left, a Local 8 member, notes the finish time of Derrick Martin of Norwalk, center, as instructor Ray Struffolino, another Local 8 member, removes weight added for the climb. 

The test had been only a few minutes long, but to Jermayne Stanley, a 15-year journeyman electrician from Cincinnati, it felt like a lifetime — one that might end prematurely.

On the first morning of a week-long class to become certified to safely work on large wind turbines, Mr. Stanley and 10 others were given up to nine minutes to climb and descend an enclosed 60-foot training tower three times, carrying up to 50 pounds in safety equipment and simulated tools.

Although he finished the task in 5 minutes, 48 seconds, Mr. Stanley was still physically crushed more than an hour later: sick to his stomach, unable to collect his thoughts, and even unable, at one point, to get up off the concrete floor of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee center in Rossford. “Back when I was younger, that would have been a whole lot easier,” the 39-year-old Mr. Stanley said as he slowly regained his composure.

For the last year, journeymen electricians and fourth and fifth-year apprentices from across Ohio and from as far away as Rhode Island have traveled to IBEW Local 8’s campus in Rossford to take the class that, once completed, certifies them to safely work on the nation’s growing number of wind farms.

And although it doesn’t guarantee them a job during what has been one of the worst construction downturns in decades, the certification — available from one of just four such training centers in the nation — can give the program’s graduates a competitive advantage and open up job opportunities.

At least that’s what Thomas Clark of Englewood, Ohio, is hoping. A journeyman electrician since 1974, Mr. Clark was laid off last year after nine years of continuous work. After passing the test in just over five minutes — “My arms are numb right now,” he said after it was over — he said green-energy jobs are his best hope to keep working steadily for the next several years.

“I want to make myself as marketable as I can,” Mr. Clark said. “There are windmill farms going up all over.”

Dave Wellington, director of the Toledo electrical apprenticeship and training committee, said he and others with the center began studying a plan to bring a green-energy training program to metro Toledo five years ago. Those plans were assisted by $420,000 in federal and state stimulus funds that have helped pay for a working wind turbine nearby.  A 60-foot tower at the Electrical Workers' center in Rossford is used in the training.
training tower
In addition, the committee built the 60-foot training tower and assists those who come to take the class. Since it began one year ago, Mr. Wellington said, nearly 500 men and women have received the special wind-tower certification in climbing, cable rescue, and high-voltage cable splicing.

“This is a case where we’re providing this training, and the workers are going immediately to a job site and applying these skills,” he said.

The ongoing training has a stimulative effect on the local economy as well. Many of the program’s graduates over the last year have come from out of town, meaning that during their week in metro Toledo, they are staying in local hotels and eating in local restaurants, Mr. Wellington said.

Tom LaFountain, a project manager with electrical contractor GEM Inc., said the extra training electricians receive in the certification program makes those workers more valuable.

“A large turbine, or even one of those smaller community ones — that’s still a very, very large investment for somebody, and you want the best people you can possibly have working on that for you,” he said.

The 60-foot climbing tower is just a fraction of the size of a full-sized turbine, some of which are up to 300 feet tall and can generate up to 3 megawatts of electricity. But it does provide a good taste of what it’s like to work inside one of the massive devices. The climb, done first, is make or break for some — two of the 11 electricians who began yesterday were unable to complete the climbing test and went home.

Similar training is provided in Minnesota, Illinois, and Nebraska.

Later classes are being developed that will focus on how to safely work on and maintain the spinning giants once they’re built.

Those classes will work on the 100-kilowatt wind turbine that was installed in February at the local center and now provides supplemental electricity to the Lime City Road facility, Mr. Wellington said.

Contact Larry P. Vellequette at lvellequette@theblade.com or 419-724-6091

 

 

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Press Release 

Sen. Brown Visits Clean Energy Jobs Training Site in Lucasville

Ohio GROWS Training Site Received Share of Nearly $5 Million Federal Grant to Retrain Workers

August 26, 2010

 

LUCASVILLE, OH - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited the Scioto County Career and Technical Center, a clean energy jobs training site, in Lucasville today. The Ohio GROWS (Green and Renewable Opportunities for Workers) project recently received nearly $5 million in new federal funds which will help train workers for jobs in the clean energy industry. Brown toured the facility and spoke with trainees.

"Across Ohio and right here in Lucasville, entrepreneurs and businesses are leading the way in clean energy innovation that will create clean energy jobs. These are the jobs that will rebuild American manufacturing," Brown said. "We simply cannot replace our dependence on foreign oil with a dependence on foreign-made clean energy technologies. Programs like the Ohio GROWS training project can help position Ohio as a leader in clean energy jobs and ensure that our state emerges from this recession better prepared for the 21st-century economy."

The Ohio GROWS project will provide clean energy jobs training to nearly 1,300 workers at 19 sites across Ohio, including the Scioto County Career and Technical Center. The Ohio GROWS program works in conjunction with local Jobs and Family Services offices to help transition dislocated workers-many of whom work in communities that have been significantly affected by the restructuring of the auto industry-into clean energy jobs. Trainees will receive a nationally-recognized certificate from the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as college credits through the University System of Ohio.

Brown also discussed his Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act, which passed the House of Representatives this week. This bill is aimed at creating jobs in high-growth, regional industries-like clean energy in Northwest Ohio-by addressing the disparity between high unemployment rates and a shortage of skilled workers for many emerging industries. Despite Ohio's 10.5 percent unemployment rate, there is still demand in today's labor market for skilled workers. To address this disparity, the SECTORS Act provides grants for sector partnerships among institutions of higher education, industry, organized labor, and workforce boards.

Brown's legislation, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2010, would help ensure that dislocated workers can get the skills and training they need to fill jobs in emerging industries-like clean energy and biotechnology-that are growing in importance to Ohio's economy. A summary of the bill can be found here.

Brown's visit to Lucasville is part of his "Made in Ohio Tour," that kicked-off last week. With job creation as the top priority, Brown is fighting for a multi-pronged effort to promote economic development - from working to position Ohio as the Silicon Valley of Clean Energy Manufacturing, to establishing the state as a hub for high-growth industries. The key components of Senator Brown's jobs strategy are:

  • Promoting the expansion of Ohio businesses by strengthening small business lending programs and aiding President Obama's goal to significantly boost U.S. exports.
  • Transitioning away from our dependence on foreign oil to a clean energy future in which jobs are centered in the small businesses, manufacturing facilities, and universities of Ohio.
  • Developing Ohio's workforce so that Ohioans are prepared to fill the jobs of the 21st century and revitalizing the state's infrastructure to attract those global industries.
  • Making sure that Ohio industry isn't undermined due to unfair trade by pursuing remedies to counteract China's currency manipulation and subsidization of domestic industries.

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Senator Brown & Mike Hines

 

Ohio Green Renewable Opportunities for Workers (GROWs) Event in Rossford

Press Release

Sen. Brown Visits Clean Energy Jobs Training Site Sharing in Recent Award of $5 Million in New Federal Funds

Brown Outlines Next Steps for Enacting His SECTORS Act - Aimed at Creating Jobs by Targeting Training to High-Growth, Regional INdustries Like Clean Energy - Which Passed the US House Last Week

July 26, 2010

 

ROSSFORD, OH - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today visited a clean energy jobs training site in Rossford to outline how a recent award of $5 million in new federal funds will help train workers for jobs in the clean energy industry. The Ohio GROWS (Green and Renewable Opportunities for Workers) project will provide clean energy jobs training to nearly 1,300 workers at 19 sites across Ohio.

"Across Ohio and right here in Rossford, entrepreneurs and businesses are leading the way in clean energy innovation that will create clean energy jobs. These are the jobs that will rebuild American manufacturing," Brown said. "We simply cannot replace our dependence on foreign oil with a dependence on foreign-made clean energy technologies. Programs like the Ohio GROWS training project can help position Ohio as a leader in clean energy jobs and ensure that our state emerges from this recession better prepared for the 21st-century economy."

The Ohio GROWS program works in conjunction with local Jobs and Family Services offices to help transition dislocated workers-many of whom work in communities that have been significantly affected by the restructuring of the auto industry-into clean energy jobs. Trainees will receive a nationally-recognized certificate from the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC), as well as college credits through the University System of Ohio. Brown will visit workers participating in wind turbine and photovoltaic training classes.

Brown also discussed his Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act, which passed the House of Representatives this week. This bill is aimed at creating jobs in high-growth, regional industries-like clean energy in Northwest Ohio-by addressing the disparity between high unemployment rates and a shortage of skilled workers for many emerging industries. Despite Ohio's 10.5 percent unemployment rate, there is still demand in today's labor market for skilled workers. To address this disparity, the SECTORS Act provides grants for sector partnerships among institutions of higher education, industry, organized labor, and workforce boards.

Brown's legislation, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this week, would help ensure that dislocated workers can get the skills and training they need to fill jobs in emerging industries-like clean energy and biotechnology-that are growing in importance to Ohio's economy. A summary of the bill can be found here.

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Ohio Green and Renewable Opportunities for Workers (GROWs) project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Energy Training Partnership grants.
Copyright © Ohio GROWs 2010