Congresswoman Brown Announces $4.85 Million in Federal Funding for Workforce Training

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) and the Biden-Harris Administration today announced$4,852,566 in federal funding to The Ohio State University to implement a workforce training program in coastal communities in Ohio, including Cleveland. The competitive grant was awarded by the Department of Commerce as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate-Ready Workforce for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes and Territories Initiative funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Congresswoman Brown proudly voted for.

“This Inflation Reduction Act grant to Ohio State delivers two important wins for Northeast Ohio: supporting local jobs and boosting our climate resilience. Lake Erie is one of our most important resources, and it is threatened by climate change. We need highly-trained workers, who should come from coastal communities like Cleveland, to make sure our lake is healthy, These are the kind of smart, proactive, and equitable investments that will help us build a brighter future,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

The grant awarded to The Ohio State University will support training climate-ready workers, including technicians, scientists and engineers, to meet the specialized workforce needs of the water industry in the Great Lakes. Ohio State will partner with a community coalition, local utility services, Community and Historically Black Colleges

and Universities to implement the program. Coastal communities in Ohio face an increased risk of climate-related impacts, including toxic algal blooms and degraded water quality, requiring highly-trained workers in climate resilience and water industry fields to address them. For more information on the grant awarded to Ohio State and other recipients, click here.

There is expected to be significant growth in climate-related jobs across the Great Lakes, including positions for hydrologists, environmental engineers/scientists, and data analytics experts. The Climate-Ready Workforce initiative is uniquely focused on preparing and placing people in good jobs to advance climate resilience nationwide, and ensure coastal communities are prepared for the worst impacts of climate change. The program will also assist employers in developing a climate literate, 21st-century workforce skilled in addressing climate challenges.

###