Connecting CEJA Grantees to Align the Implementation of Programs in the Chicagoland Area
Grantee recipients of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in the Chicagoland area convened on Wednesday, October 30th at the Chicago Jobs Council, to discuss how workforce development organizations taking on the Energy Navigator Transition, CEJA Workforce Hubs, and Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship programs can align the CEJA workforce systems streamline the clean energy recruitment to training pipeline.
CEJA is an unprecedented piece of climate and workforce legislation, and the first iterations of implementation is crucial to set up future organizations for success as CEJA continues to be rolled out. As a workforce intermediary, CJC seeks to support the implementation of CEJA by connecting grantees to:
coordinate marketing and outreach efforts for maximum impact and avoid duplication
ensure consistent messaging across workforce programs
foster collaboration as a unified workforce system
Grantee attendees of the convening included representatives and leadership from Hire360, North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN), Community Assistance Programs (CAPs), 548 Foundation, Central States SER, and the Chicago-Cook Workforce Partnership.
Making Connections
For many, this convening was the first time organizations were in the same room and making in-person connections with the organizations in their CEJA regions. Navigators and CEJA workforce hubs in the same CEJA hub region were able to discuss their outreach and recruitment efforts, training programs, and program participants. For example, NLEN and Central States SER both serve as navigators for the Chicago West/Southwest region. Through this convening, they were able to touch base with one another and the CEJA Hub organizations in their region, 548 Foundation and the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.
Leveraging Resources for Collective Outcomes
Convening attendees discussed how they can leverage their resources and funding to achieve collective outcomes. Throughout the convening, organizations offered to share resources to fulfill one another’s needs such as referral of training instructors, leasing of physical training spaces, and sharing marketing materials among organizations. This type of resource sharing is key to aligning implementation across programs and ensuring consistent messaging.
Through the CEJA Chicagoland Grantee convenings, we move towards realizing an inclusive, equitable, and strong clean energy workforce that employs communities that face barriers to employment.
