National Grid Launches The Grid Collective To Boost Green Businesses and Job Opportunities
BROOKLYN, N.Y. /3BL Media/ - National Grid launched The Grid Collective, a groundbreaking program born out of the company’s cornerstone community commitment initiative, Project C. Business leaders, community members, and customers came together at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Jamaica, Queens to hear from a panel of National Grid employees discussing the benefits and process for becoming inaugural participants in the program.
The Grid Collective aims to grow green businesses and job opportunities in New York by providing weatherization and energy efficiency training to both vendor and individual workers. The program offers training through the Business Performance Institute (BPI) and other certified sites, helping vendors and workers gain skills and knowledge they need to keep pace with New York’s clean energy goals and capture their piece of the growing green economic opportunities at both the city and state level.
“We understand what’s necessary is the expansion of businesses to deliver weatherization and energy efficiency to meet the milestones and standards laid out in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to help enable a clean energy future for all,” said Melanie Littlejohn, Vice President, Community and Customer Engagement, National Grid.
Building upon this call to action, Carla Hunter Ramsey, Director, External Affairs and Community Engagement, National Grid, spoke to the time sensitivity of a partnership program like The Grid Collective. “There is a shortage of vendors and individuals to do this work. We need more people to do the work. So, we must train up a workforce in order to do that,” she said.
National Grid chose Jamaica, Queens, one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse communities it serves, to launch The Grid Collective. Building on the mission of Project C, this choice underscores National Grid’s unwavering commitment to ensure inclusion, inspire change, create positive neighborhood impact, strengthen communities and make a difference for years to come.
Queens State Senator Leroy Comrie, said in a statement, “I have been pleased to work with National Grid for a number of years to expand green initiatives in Southeast Queens. The Grid Collective, a partnership with local small businesses, brings us a step closer to reaching climate and environmental justice goals for our communities by providing workforce development and training for residents and vendors in the clean energy sector in our neighborhoods. I look forward to seeing the program grow to bring even more opportunities to residents of the 14th Senate District."
Ian Minerve, an Approved Program Partner with National Grid’s Total Home Comfort program, which provides rebates for energy efficiency and weatherization improvements for residential customers in the New York Metro area and on Long, operates Green Power Associates, a Gold Star BPI accredited company. He spoke to his success partnering with National Grid and the opportunities The Grid Collective can afford entrepreneurs in New York’s green energy sector. “Energy efficiency can mean many things to different individuals; this is a great time to get involved as the opportunities are limitless. If you have the passion, drive, and willingness you can go very far,” he said.
About National Grid
National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a path to a more affordable, reliable clean energy future through our fossil-free vision. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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