Alton-area workforce training program made possible by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act has graduated 57 students and is training 47 more
Alton, IL – Yesterday, Lewis and Clark Community College (LC) and the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) hosted a tour of LC’s training facilities at the Scott Bibb Center, where students are enrolled in programs that will equip them with the skills needed to support Illinois’ clean energy transition. These programs were made possible through the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and are providing training and certification for entry-level positions in solar, HVAC, and more.
“The success of workforce training hubs like LC’s has only grown more critical amidst burgeoning threats from the federal government on climate action and a complicated energy market, and we’re thrilled to highlight the progress at the LC workforce hub,” said Samira Hanessian, Energy Policy Director with the Illinois Environmental Council. “Illinois staked its flag as a leader on climate action with the 2021 passage of CEJA because we knew we needed to address the climate crisis. Today, as the Trump administration actively rolls back federal environmental protections and money-saving programs, CEJA acts as a backstop to our state’s progress. As we saw in Alton, we are making groundbreaking advancements in climate justice and workforce transition right here in Illinois, regardless of the federal landscape, and this work will continue.”
CEJA established 14 strategic workforce hubs across the state to support the goal of replacing dirty, uneconomic fossil fuel plants with clean, cost-effective energy resources like wind, solar, and energy efficiency by 2050. This transition to clean energy will require and create thousands of jobs, and the workforce training hubs like LC’s are helping to build that clean energy economy while prioritizing workers and communities.
“Lewis and Clark Community College’s team name is the Trailblazers, and we affectionately refer to our larger campus community as Trailblazers as well. Our CEJA workforce hub gives us the opportunity to act as trailblazers in advancing Illinois’ clean energy economy,” said Dr. Ken Trzaska, President of Lewis and Clark Community College. “We’re empowering our students with the skills and training needed to support the rapidly growing clean energy sector, which will not only benefit the Alton and Metro East community, but also support the entire state’s clean energy and equity goals.”
During the tour, legislators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders heard from LC’s CEJA program administrators, students, and faculty about how programming at LC is driving economic growth and job creation so that the hub is mutually beneficial to the local clean energy industry. LC is building relationships with existing local businesses like ARF Solar, Inc., SunSent Solar, Sun Solar, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Straight Up Solar, EFS Energy, and Midwest Solar Solutions. LC also partners with Senior Services Plus, Inc., the City of Alton, Madison County Employment and Training, eBooks by Crooks, as well as many other local community organizations.
“The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is opening doors to quality careers in Illinois’ growing clean energy sector,” said Jay Rowell, Executive Director of HIRE360. “Today’s tour highlights the real-world impact of these investments and the promise they hold for reshaping our workforce. At HIRE360, we’re proud to support this movement—and the futures being built right here in Illinois.”
In addition to a tour of LC’s solar, HVAC, and Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship training facilities, attendees had the opportunity to witness the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Scott Bibb Center. This project is spearheaded by ARF Solar, Inc.
“Yesterday was a full-circle moment for me. I started my career as a general contractor and then got my solar license through Lewis and Clark’s Future Energy Jobs Act training program,” said Austin Frank, Founder and CEO of ARF Solar, Inc. “The training I received as a direct result of Illinois’ investment in our clean energy workforce opened up opportunities for me to eventually open my own solar installation business, and I’m thrilled to return to the school that trained me today to install solar on its roof. These investments don’t just help provide clean energy for communities in Southern Illinois that need it most – they also invest in people like me.”
The tour highlighted one of the most critical provisions of CEJA – a commitment to a just transition to clean energy. As a historically coal-producing state, this landmark legislation invests in workforce development, particularly in equity investment eligible communities, so that workers are not left behind and are, in fact, prioritized amidst the transition.
“CEJA’s investment in workforce development makes LC’s training hub possible, and LC’s training hub is on track to help make the state’s clean energy transition possible,” said Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director in the Office of Employment and Training with the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. “They go hand in hand, which is why the CEJA hubs are a key piece of our strategy to fill high-demand roles in the clean energy sector and create essential job opportunities for communities like Alton across the state. Together, we’re driving Illinois toward its clean energy targets.”
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About IEC: Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment. Representing over 130 environmental organizations in the state, IEC carries out its mission to advance equitable public policies that create healthy environments across Illinois through education, advocacy, and movement building.