Illinois students get paid to learn energy efficiency job skills » Yale Climate Connection

Some high school students spend their summers working as lifeguards or bagging groceries.

But in the town of Thornton, Illinois, some students are getting paid to learn the skills they need to work in energy efficiency over the summer.

Johnson: “If college is not their next step, they can be hired by any energy efficiency weatherization company or company right out of high school.”

Darnell Johnson helped develop the Green Generation. It's a three-summer program that primarily targets Black and brown communities, who he said are less likely to have access to clean energy and energy efficiency.

Through the program, participants can earn up to six professional certifications, focusing on energy auditing, air leak sealing and more.

But the program also goes beyond vocational training. It helps students develop leadership skills and tools to become advocates for sustainability.

They discussed issues such as high energy costs and a lack of electric vehicle chargers in the community. They learn how to engage in politics to drive change.

Johnson: “They're starting to see themselves as part of the solution.”

So whether participants become technologists, engineers or politicians, they gain the foundation they need to help build a more sustainable future.

Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media