CCIA Executive Director Christine Shapard Appointed Chair of Green Jobs Colorado Advisory Council

DENVER, CO, September 18, 2010 (Press-News.org) Christine Shapard, Founding Executive Director of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA) has been appointed Chair of the Green Jobs Colorado Advisory Council (GJCAC) by Donald J. Mares, Executive Director Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). The announcement is made jointly by Mares and Shapard.

"Colorado's New Energy Economy has set a national precedent in research, innovation and clean-energy job creation. Through legislation and policy, Colorado has been able to create thousands of new jobs across the state," Shapard says. "The Advisory Council will work to build a workforce for Colorado's New Energy Economy through administering the Green Jobs Colorado Training program and coordinating statewide green job efforts."

Further, Shapard explains, "While we've been able to continue to attract new clean technology companies, we must ensure our workforce development pipeline is training Coloradoans for these jobs. By providing incentives for certified training providers through our new training program, we will make sure Coloradoans can obtain the skills, both specific and transferable, needed to secure jobs in the wind, solar, energy efficiency and other renewable energy industries."

Shapard has served as the Executive Director of the CCIA since its inception in 2009. Prior to that she was Deputy Director of the Colorado Bioscience Association (CBSA), which she originally joined in January 2006 as Director of Marketing and Communications. Prior to the CBSA, Shapard was with the Governor's Office of Economic Development & International Trade where she served as the director of bioscience and emerging technologies.

About the Green Jobs Colorado Training Program

This two-year pilot program offers grants to training providers in order to develop training programs, strategies and curricula for occupations in the cleantech industry. Grants from this program may be used for the development of a new program or the implementation of an existing program. All training providers must provide at least 20% of the overall training costs.

A lead applicant must be a certified training provider, which is includes (but is not limited to) community colleges, apprenticeship programs, vocational schools and other training providers. Applications must show regional, industry-based partnerships that include representatives from workforce development, employers, educators, training providers, economic development, and other groups that convene to analyze and solve industry -specific workforce problems.

Priority will be given to applications that can show "shovel ready" programs and/or curricula and to programs that can show job attachment (the high possibility of a job offer at the end of the training program). Additionally, priority will be give to applications that focus certificate programs or curricula targeted to include: upgrading skill levels, low-income adults and youth, entry-level or incumbent workers, and dislocated workers in declining industries. The primary funding for the Green Jobs Colorado Training Program is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In addition to Mares and Shapard, the following individuals comprise the GJCAC: Karen Beye, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Human Services; Dr. Lance Bolton, President, Northeastern Junior College; Representative Brian DelGrosso, Colorado House of Representatives; Taryn Edwards, Chair, Colorado Workforce Development Council; Susan Kirkpatrick, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Local Affairs; Senator Kevin Lundberg, Colorado Senate; Jim Mantele, Business Manager, IBEW Local Union 68; Don Marostica, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Tom Plant, Executive Director, Governor's Energy Office; Carmen Rhodes, Executive Director, FRESC ; Senator Gail Schwartz, Colorado Senate; Cathy Shull, Executive Director, Progressive 15; Ethnie Trieck, Manager of Policy Analysis, Xcel Energy; Representative Edward Vigil, Colorado House of Representatives; and Del Worley, Holy Cross Energy, CEO.

About the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association

The Colorado Cleantech Industry Association represents the interests of the state's cleantech industry. Its mission is to further establish Colorado as a world leader in clean technology by providing representation and advocacy, a unified voice, relevant programming and capacity development. For more information, visit coloradocleantech.com.

CCIA is found on these social media sites:
Twitter: twitter.com/COCleantech
LinkedIn Group: linkedin.com/e/vgh/1882455
Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/ColoradoCleantechIndustryAssociation
News Feed: coloradocleantech.blogspot.com
YouTube Channel: youtube.com/COCleantech

Contacts:

Christine Shapard, CCIA Executive Director, 303-623-2690, Chris@coloradocleantech.com

Maggie Chamberlin Holben, Absolutely PR - absolutelypr.com - 303-984-9801, maggie@absolutelypr.com

More About Absolutely PR

Absolutely Public Relations specializes in media relations, the strategies and tactics necessary to achieve impactful editorial placements in the national, trade press and local media. Maggie Chamberlin Holben, owner, is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and is a member of its Counselors Academy.  In addition, Holben is now certified as an industry analyst relations practitioner. Holben brings more than 25 years experience to her clients and is frequently interviewed by the media as a Public Relations Expert.  The ideal client for Absolutely PR has an interesting story to tell, executive commitment to and understanding of PR, and plenty of news hooks.  You can learn about news hooks at the website AbsolutelyPR.com. Absolutely PR also offers PublicRelationsNewsroom.com, DenverPRNewsroom.com and Expert411.com to help clients achieve media awareness success.  

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