Blackstone portfolio company Atlantic Power Transmission (APT) has announced a multi-million dollar commitment to workforce development in New Jersey.
The $50m (€47.4m) commitment will go towards creating a workforce hub for the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the Northeast region and the state, addressing one of the recommendations outlined by the New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan.
APT will initiate this investment into the New Jersey workforce upon the award of its bids to provide transmission supporting the delivery of 3600MW of offshore wind power to the existing electrical grid under the New Jersey Offshore Wind SAA Transmission Solicitation.
This funding commitment of $50m over ten years will support workforce development investment in New Jersey’s education, training, and research institutions.
APT has prioritised and actively partnered with its New Jersey Union Coalition in support of its bids and will continue to further expand the existing partnership that APT and Blackstone have with labour.
The project’s broad-based New Jersey Union Coalition includes Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters; International Union of Operating Engineers Locals 825 & 25; Iron Workers Local 399; and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 456.
APT has engaged New Jersey workforce development programs to help ensure New Jersey’s workers will be well prepared to lead the next phase of the development of the offshore wind industry.
APT and its Alliance Partners are committed to using their collective expertise and resources in offshore wind development to map out new, high-impact technical and professional employment opportunities for New Jersey citizens.
As part of this workforce development initiative and investment, APT is actively collaborating with local enterprises with a focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, statewide leadership, and Middlesex academic institutions, including Middlesex College and Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools.
APT chief executive Andy Geissbuehler said: “This generational investment will support New Jersey and the development of its workforce that will be necessary to build this new industry and to establish a new national standard for wind transmission.
“Investing in New Jersey’s workforce is crucial for the future of clean energy and this commitment to the next generation of New Jersey families reflects our company’s values.”
Blackstone senior managing director Sebastien Sherman added: “As experienced developers, we recognise that we only win if communities we are serving win alongside us.
“APT’s collaboration with key stakeholders, including the New Jersey Union Coalition, on proactive design of workforce development programs and development of local content opportunities will cement New Jersey’s first-mover advantage in the burgeoning offshore wind transmission sector for decades to come.”
Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters executive secretary-treasurer William Sproule said: “We wholeheartedly support the APT project with Blackstone.
“Their initiatives, strategic planning, and the discussions that we’ve been having even before construction starts is going to be extremely beneficial to New Jersey residents and help create more jobs in the construction industry as well as give us the ability to recruit new members into our union, into our apprenticeship, and provide them with career training and life-sustaining jobs with good pay and benefits.”