State wins $4.39M grant for smart grid jobs

Smart grid development is set to bring $4.39 million in federal stimulus funds to Michigan, along with training for 588 new jobs.

The U.S. Department of Energy grant will allow the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth to leverage $16.7 million more from local utilities for job development training.

"We're killing two birds with one stone with this grant," says Beth Sommers, a green jobs specialist with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth.

The newly established Michigan's Electric Power Workforce Training Strategy will train people to handle the new technical aspects of smart grid technology, seen as the next generation of electrical infrastructure. Consumers Energy and DTE Energy expect to hire 186 new workers via the new program.

"Basically all of the occupations across the board will need more technical skills as the smart grid is installed across the state," Sommers says.

Source: Beth Sommers, a green jobs specialist with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
Writer: Jon Zemke