WESTERN MASS – MassHire Career Center and MassSave, a partnership of state energy companies and the Department of Energy Resources, are collaborating to offer a weatherization internship for young adults ages 18 to 25.
Weatherization is the practice of reducing energy consumption and optimizing energy efficiency through protecting the interior and exterior of a building from various weather elements. According to MassHire, weatherization is a fast growing industry with the earning potential of $40,000 to $80,000 annually, and opportunities to advance in the green and renewable energies field.
To be eligible for the training, young adults ages 18 to 25 must pass a background check, drug test, and must be ready to work. A high school diploma or HiSet/GED is required.
Participants will attend a free three-week workplace skill training with MassHIre and two-week training in the Green Jobs Academy, and will then be interviewed by companies for the six- to nine-month internships that pay $17 an hour, where they will learn such things as materials handling, power tools and ladder safety on-site. At the conclusion of the internship, there will be a placement with the company they interned with or in a weatherization company.
“We rarely get an opportunity for young adults to get paid this early in the training,” said MassHire Youth Specialist Phylis Gedeon.
Gedeon said the young adults who get involved in the program will receive supportive services from MassHIre throughout, including weekly check-ins, peer support, industry support and mentorship, and help with transportation. She said if this is their first work experience, they want to support it and make sure it’s a good comfortable fit.
“The career center is `one stop.’ We’re not just providing assistance with jobs, we also do a lot with training opportunities through grant programs, or opportunities through local colleges. We’re beyond a place of just looking for employment. Make this your first stop. Who is hiring, who is providing training. A lot of it is very little cost or no cost with financial assistance,” Gedeon said.
A virtual information workshop will be held on the weatherization internship on June 24. The program will stop taking applicants on June 25. To apply for the workshop, go to https://masshirespringfield.org/masssave/
For more information, contact Gedeon at 413-858-2818 or pgedeon@ masshirespringfield.org.
“We’re excited to partner with Mass Save, and help young adults get into a new career field,” Gedeon said.
Note: The Westfield News was informed that the requirement to have a high school diploma or HiSet/GED was added by the grantor after this article was submitted for print.
