Portland Adult Education to expand heat pump apprenticeship program [Video]

Portland Adult Education was awarded $416,179 to bolster its renewable energy pre-apprenticeship and bridge programs by adding heat-pump and thermal-focused trainings. The organization plans to use the funds to prepare up to 150 people for jobs in the clean energy industry.

Including Portland Adult Education, the Maine Governor’s Energy Office awarded a total of $2 million to be split among six programs in the state: Maine Math & Science Alliance in Augusta, Biddeford School Department and Biddeford Adult Education, Oxford Hills and Nezinscot Adult Education, PassivhausMaine in Freeport and the University of Maine in Orono.

“These targeted investments will connect Mainers across the state to high wage careers in the clean energy field,” said Laura Fortman, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor.

The Portland Adult Education program is geared specifically toward people with barriers to employment, including unemployed or underemployed non-native English speakers, women and other marginalized groups.

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