Veterans Green Jobs Leads Wave of New Job Creation in Energy Efficiency and Environmental Conservation

Veterans Green Jobs Leads Wave of New Job Creation in Energy Efficiency and Environmental Conservation

Denver, CO – (March 24, 2010) – Known as a “Do-Tank” in the green jobs field and an early leader in energy efficiency job training and placement, Veterans Green Jobs today announced dozens of job opportunities for veterans to enter green jobs fields.  Founded in 2008, Veterans Green Jobs—a national non-profit based in Denver, CO—is leading a variety of initiatives creating job opportunities in the energy efficiency, weatherization, and environmental conservation and restoration.   Interested applicants should visit http://veteransgreenjobs.org/category/veterans-and-supporters/job-openings for specific job descriptions and application instructions.

Energy Efficiency and Weatherization

Veterans Green Jobs is now the largest weatherization service provider in Colorado, and is the agency whose competitively bid proposals were selected by the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) to serve both the Denver/Jefferson County and San Luis Valley areas.  The primary mission of these programs is to implement the GEO’s low income family weatherization assistance program as part of the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The contracts, which total $7.75 million annually, support state-funded Weatherization Assistance Programs that conduct energy audits and weatherization work for qualified low-income families.

When fully staffed, the Veterans Green Jobs Denver/Jefferson County Energy Efficiency and Weatherization program will provide 65 jobs, including Weatherization Program Managers, Crew Chiefs, Field Technicians, Furnace Technicians, Home Energy Auditors, Inventory Managers and Client Services Managers, as well as administrative and management positions in accounting, communications and office management.  Weatherization Crew, Field Technician, Furnace Tech and Energy Auditor positions are responsible for energy efficiency improvements conducted on residential homes, including general air sealing; installation of insulation in attics, knee walls, and around water heaters, furnace ducts and water pipes; repair and installation of high efficiency furnaces, and repairs involving installation of various materials, such as drywall, lumber, and glass.

The San Luis Valley Energy Efficiency and Weatherization program has openings for Weatherization Technicians, Home Energy Auditors, Production Managers, Field Safety Supervisors, and a Bookkeeper.  Located in Southern Colorado, the Veterans Green Jobs San Luis Valley Weatherization Assistance Program has been recognized by the US Department of Energy for its success in utilizing ARRA funding to serve low-income households.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to provide weatherization services for residents of the Denver, Jefferson County and San Luis Valley regions,” said Brett KenCairn, CEO of Veterans Green Jobs. “Veterans Green Jobs is also excited to offer meaningful careers for veterans and others interested in helping Colorado families save money, reduce energy consumption and environmental impacts, and build and protect a more energy-secure future for our nation.”

Environmental Conservation

Simultaneously, Veterans Green Jobs, in partnership with leading Conservation Corps around the US, is launching a number of veteran land conservation teams called “Veterans Green Corps”.  Over the next nine months, VGJ and its Corps partners will launch programs in CO, UT, NV and NM in which veterans will implement wildfire protection projects, trail restoration and stabilization projects and other land restoration activities.   Veterans Green Corps has openings for over 50 veterans immediately, and may create an additional 50-75 positions before the end of the year.  Agencies like the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are looking closely at the Veterans Green Corps programs as a training ground for future land management professionals.  Veterans Green Jobs recently contacted over 80 natural resource and forestry programs around the US as part of a campaign to create college programs that will enable interested veterans to get the education they will need to replace the huge wave of retiring natural resource professionals in a variety of natural resource agencies.  Veterans Green Jobs has already signed Memorandums of Understanding with both Colorado State University and Virginia Tech as part of this initiative.

About Veterans Green Jobs

Veterans Green Jobs is a national nonprofit organization based in Denver that provides green jobs education, transition support, and career and enterprise development opportunities for military veterans, empowering and supporting them to lead America’s transition to energy independence, ecological restoration, community renewal, and economic prosperity.  VGJ was founded in 2008 and operates programs in a variety of green jobs fields including home energy efficiency, renewable energy, land conservation, and urban forestry. For more information, visit http://veteransgreenjobs.org/.   Media Contact: Kirsten Maynard, (415) 350-4147, kirsten@veteransgreenjobs.org.