The Baker-Polito administration, through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, awarded $1.3 million in grants to nine Massachusetts institutions to expand training and employment programs in relation to the state’s offshore wind industry. As one of the awardees, Adult and Continuing Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) will use the $128,140 in funding to support its second cohort of students in its new Offshore Wind Certificate Program. This program is part of a partnership between ACE MV, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Vineyard Power Cooperative, and Bristol Community College. The funds will also support ACE MV’s expansion of programming into marine science and technology.
The offshore wind program “is an important step not only for Vineyard residents seeking training and employment, but also for the environment,” said ACE MV executive director Holly Bellebuno.
Bellebuno spoke to the overall impact of the grants on offshore wind industry development in the state. “The awards include a $100,000 commitment from Vineyard Wind’s Windward Workforce Fund, and a $100,000 commitment from Mayflower Wind’s Offshore Wind Development Fund, and collectively, the grants leverage an estimated cost-share from awardees of approximately $950,000,” said Bellebuno.
The programs will help workers develop the skills needed to secure jobs in offshore wind, she said.
Bellebuono expects to welcome back the first cohort of students this fall to continue undergraduate credit-bearing classes, including Principles of Ecology, and will welcome the second cohort in January 2021. For more information, contact ACE MV at info@acemv.org.
