The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) have chosen Atlantic Cape Community College as the recipient of offshore wind training support.
Under the New Jersey Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge Atlantic Cape will receive $3m to establish an industry recognised Global Wind Organization (GWO) safety training programme and facility to prepare New Jersey workers for jobs in the state’s growing offshore wind industry.
Atlantic Cape will enter into a memorandum of understanding with OSHE for a the grant to develop a GWO certified training programme and facility to be operational by the end of 2022.
Funding for the grant comes from the NJBPU’s New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP).
The winner of the challenge was determined by an evaluation committee comprised of NJEDA and OSHE staff that reviewed all proposals received from Challenge applicants based on the scoring criteria framework established when the Challenge launched.
The Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s administration’s approach to achieving the state’s goal of generating 7.5GW of offshore wind power by 2035.
Other initiatives include the construction of the New Jersey Wind Port, a monopile manufacturing facility at the Port of Paulsboro, and the NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge, a competitive grant programme that will award up to $1m to a New Jersey community college that collaborates with union trade organisations and industry partners to establish an offshore wind turbine technician training programme.
“Offshore wind is a priority sector for the Murphy administration that has unparalleled potential to drive long-term, equitable economic growth.
Establishing a Global Wind Organisation safety training programme and facility in New Jersey will make jobs in offshore wind more accessible to New Jersey residents and will help to establish the state as a hub of the growing American offshore wind industry,” said NJEDA chief executive Tim Sullivan.
“Atlantic Cape’s winning proposal will bring this training program to a community at the heart of New Jersey’s growing wind industry and help to ensure equitable access to opportunity in offshore wind.”