1. UTAH STATE ENERGY
SECTOR PARTNERSHIP(SESP)
Final Report
Prepared By:
Utah Department of Workforce Services October 2013
2. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling (801) 526-9240. Individuals with speech
and/or hearing impairments may call the Relay Utah by dialing 711. Spanish Relay Utah: 1-888-346-3162.
Department of Workforce Services • jobs.utah.gov
BACKGROUND......................................................................................................................................... 3
EXPECTED OUTCOMES......................................................................................................................... 3
SUMMARY OF GRANT ACTIVITIES..................................................................................................... 3
TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS.................................................................................................................... 4
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES.............................................................................................. 8
LEVERAGED RECOURCES.................................................................................................................... 10
ACTUAL OUTCOMES............................................................................................................................ 10
SUCCESS STORIES................................................................................................................................ 11
QUOTES................................................................................................................................................... 13
Contents
3. 3
In January 2010, the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) was awarded a $4.6 million State
Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) grant to develop the workforce force and create jobs for: Green
Construction, Alternative Fuels, Energy Management/Efficiency, and Renewable Energy & Transmission
in Utah. Through this no-cost-to-participant job training and placement program DWS committed
to train 1400 individuals statewide. Of those, at least 300 were workers that were impacted by
Automotive Restructuring, mainly Box Elder and Cache County Residents). Other populations
served included: veterans, workers impacted by energy and environmental policy, at-risk youth and
dislocated workers.
Upon completion of the program the goal is for the customer to:
1. Have the potential to improve their earnings and be marketable in an energy sector career
2. Obtain employment in an energy sector occupation, or
3. Maintain/retain their employment (if employed at the time of enrollment)
4. Attain:
a. WorkKeys Credential and/or
b. National or Industry Certification and/or
c. Enroll in apprenticeship program
d. Create a Utah Futures Career Portfolio
86% Entered Employment = 1206
92% Retention = 1108
700 Work Key Credentials
456 Industry or nationally recognized Certifications
225 Apprenticeship Enrollments
The objectives of the Utah State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) Project were to:
1. Identify and evaluate future job trends and implement activities to sustain job growth and
job retention
State Energy Sector Partnership
(SESP) Background
Expected Outcomes
Summary of Grant Activities
4. 4
2. Integrate the sector workforce development plan with the Governor’s Strategic 10-year Energy
Plan, relevant national and state energy policies and the Workforce Investment Act/Wagner-
Peyser Act State Plan
3. Align research and development and new technologies with energy sectors growth, emerging
business needs and job skill development
4. Develop a statewide, comprehensive energy efficiency and renewable energy sector workforce
development plan for Utah
5. Expand the capacity for a skilled talent pipeline to meet the short- and long-term needs of the
energy efficiency and renewable energy sector
The SESP project designed and delivered a state-wide energy core curriculum, integrating basic energy
technician level training. Core energy competencies and specific occupational training in the defined
sectors were developed. All training was designed and delivered to provide stackable credentials, national
certificates, industry certifications or apprenticeship placement fostering self-sufficiency, job retention
and pathways of skill upgrades in energy careers.
The SESP Energy Essentials Curriculum, Program Management Tools and Outreach Materials were
submitted as products to DOL as part of this project. All of these products have been disseminated and
can be found on the workforce3one website as resources for other grantees (http:// granteeproducts.
workforce3one.org/grants/334).
Bridgerland Applied Technology College
Training Partnerships
5. 5
The consensus by all training partners is that this project provided them the opportunity, the ability and
the resources to build a training program to meet the statewide industry needs and to work with schools
throughout the state. The partnerships formed have been very productive and will be helpful in providing
other types of industry training beyond the scope of the grant.
Davis Applied Technology College
Salt Lake Community College
Training Partnerships
7. 7
In addition to the traditional training programs, a number of Navajo Youth were trained to build modern
Hogans for elderly individuals on the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley. Below are pictures of
traditional Hogans as well as what was built. A total of three Hogans were constructed during the grant.
The SESP training programs were expanded to other educational and industry organizations to include:
Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College (OWATC), Dixie Applied Technology College (DXATC), Utah
Valley University (UVU), Intermountain Weatherization Center, local chapters of the National Home
Builder’s Association (NHBA) such as Salt Lake City Home Builder’s Association, Park City Home Builder’s
Association, Southern Utah Home Builder’s Association, Manufacturer’s Extension Partnership and
The Appraisal Institute. The expansion to other training providers was intended to improve training
outcomes and to broaden the curriculum objectives across the state to other educational and industry
Training Partnerships
8. 8
organizations. These partnerships provide career lattice pathways offering multiple entry points into
the sectors and articulation agreements from non-credit granting institutions to credit resulting in
the possibility for students to continue their education at institutions of higher education to obtain
Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees.
The SESP Training Partners plan to sustain the majority of the training programs developed and add
emerging programs, which will enhance the existing training opportunities in the Green Construction,
Renewable Energy & Transmission, Energy Efficiency & Management and Alternative Fuels sectors. Criteria
for sustaining programs included LMI projections and information gathered from industry partners
through program advisory councils and job fairs. While a few programs like the Energy Essentials Course
will not be sustained beyond the life of the grant as a stand-alone course, the curriculum objectives were
incorporated into on-going programs.
Strategic partnerships were integral to the success of the SESP successful. The activities included but
were not limited to:
• Industry facility tours for students, faculty, grant staff and partners
• Industry presentations to students in class
• Assistance with curriculum development/refinement
• Mock interviews for students
• Production of preparation video for Building Performance Institute (BPI) testing for students and
BPI certification testing
• Providing job opportunities for students that completed training
• Donations of equipment and supplies to enhance training programs
• Leveraging funds to train more students
• Providing additional training opportunities that were not offered initially under the grant
Another critically leveraged partnership was a Labor Market Information Improvement grant which
was awarded to a consortium of states with Montana as the lead state and Utah as one of the five other
participating states. This $3.9 million dollar award was to fund the Northern Plains and Rocky Mountain
consortium in numerous research efforts to better understand the potential and current effects of the
green movement on state and local labor markets. While the grants were designed with very different
outcomes in mind, the philosophy of the High Growth Emerging Industries (HEGI) was woven throughout
both. It was not only logical but also beneficial to both groups to identify places in which the grant
activity from the LMI group could carry over and inform the SESP group, and vice-versa.
Strategic Partnership Activities
9. 9
With these synergistic benefits in mind, the following activities were carried out in support of the
goals of the two grants:
Survey consultation: As part of the green jobs labor market research, a baseline survey was conducted to
assess the size of the green job market in Utah. Through the SESP partnerships, advice was given on businesses
and industries to target for survey responses. Additionally, through SESP communication channels (i.e.
newsletters and meetings) an effort was made to increase interest in participating in the survey as well as the
forthcoming survey results.
Networking: Participants in the SESP grant from education and economic development arrived to the project
through a well-established network of public and private entities involved in the Utah energy industry. The
LMI grantees were brought into this network and provided relevant labor market information to enhance the
economic impact discussions. Additionally, formal presentations were made to the network partners in their
monthly meetings and large conferences hosted by members of the network. The network was also a venue for
the LMI group to market the green jobs survey.
Green education directory: The partnership was vital in completing the LMI grant deliverable of producing a
list of educational institutions that offer training and/or certification in jobs related to renewable energy and the
green economy.
Conference sponsorship: SESP partners involved in the 2011 Utah Renewable Energy Conference connected
the LMI grantees with the conference conveners, which gave them the opportunity to become a sponsor of the
conference. This was yet another opportunity to market the work of the consortium within the printed materials
distributed at the conference. Sponsorship for the Utah Renewable Energy Business Summit was also made
possible through the partnership. The LMI group was given the opportunity at this conference to present on the
Utah economy, green jobs, and the state of the green economy in Utah.
Renewable Energy Fair: During the final construction phases of the Milford, Utah wind farm, a career fair
was hosted for jobs associated with wind and other renewable energy businesses. SESP grantee representatives
invited the LMI grant representatives to participate in workshops to educate job seekers and business owners
about the trajectory of growth for the Utah green economy.
Training assessment design: A major component of the grant activity for the SESP group was to design
an assessment tool for identifying optimal candidates for the renewable energy training programs slated
to be established across the state. Economists from the Utah LMI group participated in an intensive
workshop which also involved experts from the education field to discuss the attributes, knowledge, and
skills most necessary for a trainee to possess when entering the SESP training program.
Informational brochure for training program: The crowning achievement for the Utah LMI-SESP
partnership was the creation of an informational brochure. The purpose of the brochure was two-fold: to educate
job seekers on the labor market information associated with the renewable energy sector in Utah, and to inform
people about the opportunities and structure of the SESP training programs across the state. The 32-page
brochure included information about occupations in demand in renewable energy, the typical wages of those
occupations and the outlook for those occupations. Some initial survey findings regarding the greenness of
occupations in Utah were also presented. The combination of presenting both the training program logistics and
the labor market information for the related occupations served to better inform the prospective trainee about
the job prospects for renewable energy occupations and whether the program would meet their career goals in
the long run. The brochure was so successful that a second round of printing was necessary to meet the demand
of the energy career development specialists stationed around the state who worked with the potential trainees
(http://granteeproducts.workforce3one.org/grants/product/1136).
10. 10
All of the grant outcomes were surpassed with the exception of Entered Employment and Retention . We
attribute this to a few factors:
1. The economic recovery has been slower than expected
2. Large solar and wind projects that were expected to take place have not yet come to fruition
Partner Expected Leveraged
(3 year, pledge) Cumulative Total
Utah Department of Workforce Services $700,000.00 $1,930,492.67
Utah Department of Workforce Services – General Fund/
Department of Workforce Services
0 $386,442.38
Utah System of Higher Education $823,000.00 $155,500.00
Salt Lake Community College $914,000.00 $1,035,919.38
Southwest Applied Technology College $175,000.00 $204,835.00
Utah State University – Eastern $200,000.00 $95,188.52
Davis Applied Technology College $65,060.00 $50,876.32
Utah Clean Energy 0 $7,056.05
Total $3,712,060.00 $3,479,867.94
Outcome Category Target Result
Total Participants Served 1,400 1,977
Total Beginning Training 1,400 1,744
Total Credentials 982 2,279
Total Completed Training 1,206 1,466
Total Placed in Non-Subsidized Employment 1,206 1,054
Total Retaining Employment for 2 Quarters 1,108 991
Total Entering an Apprenticeship 225 397
Total Impacted by Auto Restructuring 300 386
Total Completing Work Keys Certificates 700 776
Incumbents Served 777
Leveraged Recourses
Actual Outcomes
11. 11
3. Many training participants completed training by June 2013, however many others that were
still attending school with other financial resources beyond the life of the grant and therefore
employment outcomes were not captured since they had not yet completed training.
In order to continue assisting individuals in becoming employed in these fields we have created a“Green
Jobs”search function in our Wage and Occupational Openings Data (WOOD) tool on jobs.utah.gov.
Of the 777 incumbent workers trained 397 were apprentices. As apprentices obtain and demonstrate
new skills, they are given incremental wage increases because they are able to perform new duties on the
job. Apprentices are also in structured training programs that require them to pass certain classes and
tests before they can move forward to the next level. The majority of the remaining incumbent workers
were contractors who obtained skills upgrades by attending required classes to obtain Continuing
Education Credits (CEUs) for maintaining licensure. These classes included Green Building Codes Updates
for Electricians and Plumbers, Green Building and Energy Systems Design as well as LEED Certifications.
Having theses CEUs and Certifications allowed contractors to bid on projects that they did not previously
qualify to bid on, which ultimately keeps their business competitively viable in the marketplace. Other
courses for incumbent workers included: Valuation of Green Homes for Realtors and Appraisers, and
Green Enterprise Development for Manufacturer’s.
Success Stories
Lara Gale
Lara Gale was an Energy Management student at SLCC who graduated in May 2012 with an Associates
of Applied Science. Lara was introduced to the SESP program last fall and recently completed both, the
Green Retrofit and RESNET/HERS Courses. She is a veteran who served in Afghanistan, a sustainability
advocate, and recently secured employment with a solar/wind installation company (http://www.
slcccontinuinged.com/GA_LaraGale).
Cody Goodsell
“To Whom It May Concern, I am writing this letter to show my appreciation for the opportunity that the
State Energy Partnership Grant has provided me. Since leaving Active Duty in the U.S. Navy 5 years ago,
I have worked for a company performing Fiber Optic Installations for a Major Utility. Over the course of
these 5 years I worked very hard in this field and paid thousands of dollars in training costs to be certified.
About 2 years ago, the contracts dried up and I found myself without employment.
Try as I might I have not found any work close enough to home to allow me to step back into this field.
While temporarily working (out of my field) at the VA Hospital last year, a co-worker introduced me to the
“Green Grant”which seemed a little too good to be true at first. After some research and in speaking with
the Green Energy Career Development Specialist, Denise Iverson, I realized that this was an opportunity
to turn things around for me and my family and begin a career in a field that I was very excited about!
12. 12
Over the Course of the last 9 months, I have been enrolled in the“Green Energy/Industrial Mechanics”
program full time at Bridgerland Applied Technology College in Logan, Utah. This program has allowed
me to jump careers and remarket myself as a skilled and competent professional. The“Green Grant”
allowed me to pursue this by, paying for my tuition and books, taking care of my daycare expenses while
enrolled and by paying for transportation costs when needed and warranted. I can honestly say, there is
NO way I could have even attempted to go back to school without the helping hand that this Grant has
provided me. I am proud to say that I will be Graduating this December with not only as an“Industrial
Mechanics with a Green Energy emphasis,”but also as a BPI certified Building Analyst! I have already
secured employment upon graduation within this field, and really have a lot of people to thank for it,
most of all, this Grant, and the people behind it. It is my belief that programs, grants and people who
implement them, are the reason America always bounces back. I can once again hold my head high,
knowing that I have everything I need to succeed in this economy, and provide a good home and life to
my family! And a very personal and sincere thank you to all of the people behind the lines, who may not
get the“Thank You”they really deserve. What you do changed my life!”
Marcia Kawa
“As the time nears for the end of my experience with the SESP Grant program I would like to give you
my sincere appreciation for a program that has encouraged and broadened my future view of the
employment market. It had been an extremely discouraging time while on unemployment and seeking
work not only in a poor market but also in a state that does not support women in my field. Being
included in the Green Energy program has opened up many other opportunities that I would never
have pursued. While attending what has ended up being a very condensed, fast paced education I must
admit I will come away with a wealth of knowledge that I did not have prior. Even with the rush mode
that was due to starting much later than many in the classes there was always a teacher available for any
and all one-on-one help that was needed. I cannot say enough about the sincere desire from all of the
instructors to help the students accomplish their goals and many times exceed them. Ed, Leonard, and TK
are stand up guys and I would love to stay and learn more but work awaits somewhere I am sure. Thank
you so much for contributing to an experience that has helped me grow and made me smile.”
Brock Thayne – Hunt Electric
“The State Energy Sector Partnership Grant has been very beneficial for Hunt Electric, Inc. and the
associated employees. It has allowed Hunt Electric, Inc. to send over 10 current employees to classes and
further expand their knowledge base. It has also helped aid our hiring efforts in specialized markets. We
are very thankful for the opportunity and hope for similar programs in the near future.”
13. 13
1. Jeff Robertson, USANA: “This course has been a fantastic opportunity to learn...particularly
how to improve some efficiencies at our plant, and how to make it work environmentally, socially
and definitely profit-wise. There’s a real nexus there and I got a lot of that through this course.”
2. Missy Nelson, Varian Medical Systems: “The Green Enterprise Development course was
a thorough overview and an excellent source of information for all involved…made aspects of
environmental business management, even in the manufacturing industry, easy to understand.”
3. Heidi Moulton, Lifetime Products: “This course really filled in a lot of missing gaps as far as
green. I’ve been doing recycling for quite a while. It really expanded my knowledge and honed in
on some points that made it much easier.”
4. Ken Hartley, LeanWerks: “The course was really comprehensive and an eye-opener. The [SME]
exam at the end wasn’t one of those wimpy little tests; it was pretty thorough. I liked it a lot.”
5. Aaron Bell, Nucor Steel: “I thought the course was excellent! I think the approach here at
looking at profit, people, and the planet is an important one… It certainly made me think about
how I need to go back to our business and look at ways in which we can reduce waste, reduce
energy… in small ways and different ways than I have looked at before. It gave me a lot of good
information that I think I can take back to help improve costs and reduce our impact.”
6. Charles Wiggins, USANA, Salt Lake City, UT: “I’ve never thought of myself as being someone
who was green, and often fought against it. Having come to this course, I realized there were lots of
things I could do and that I should be doing to help our environment and my company. It opened
my eyes to a lot of waste streams and ways that we can be more effective in taking care of what we
have. I really appreciate taking this course and having this opportunity.”
7. Dustin White, Electrical Lead, Varian Medical Systems, Salt Lake City, UT: “This class was
one of the most eye opening training classes that I’ve had in a while. I was a little hesitant to take
the class at first, but after a strong recommendation from a colleague, I decided to take the class.
The information in the presentations helped me to understand the importance of our natural
resources and conserving them for future generations. The Modules helped give a practical insight
into applying the principles, and develop ideas for future projects. This class changed my outlook
not only in my profession but my personal life as well. Sometimes I don’t think we realize how
much we waste. I would highly recommend this class for anybody with forward thinking approach
to business.”
8. John Kofford, Facilities Manager, Quality Bicycle Products, Ogden, UT: “I wanted to
take a minute and let you know about the Green Enterprise Development course, Sustainable
Environmental Business Management. I work for a company called Quality Bicycle Products; we are
very green environmentally conscious company. Our buildings are Gold LEEDS Certified. I already
Quotes Regarding the Green Energy Development Course provided to
Incumbent Workers through the Manfufacturer’s Extensive Partnership (MEP):
14. 14
thought I knew a fare amount on the subject, but I was mistaken. I thought this was going to be
some type of seminar. I found out that this course is a full on course. We had homework, quizzes
and a final exam to pass to become certified. I was impressed with the hands on workshops each
week. We really came away with a complete knowledge of our environment, and how our company
can make changes that affect all of us.
I would recommend this course to everyone that cares about our environment and how we can
make a difference.”
9. Mary Foss, Utilities Engineering Manager, Fresenius Medical Care, Ogden, UT: “The
SME Green Specialist course is a great introduction to the principles of sustainable manufacturing.
Each of the topics addressed are applicable to the manufacturing environment and when applied
can result in real savings. This course serves as an overview of each of the elements that can be
examined in the effort to improve the efficiency of operations by better utilizing natural resources.”
10. Tyson Mecham, Purchasing, Cerrowire, Ogden, UT: “The class was very beneficial for me
and our company as a whole. It has opened up our eyes and some doors to reduce energy, waste
and time throughout our company and processes. The class was designed and taught in a very easy
to understand, fast paced manner. After taking the class, I felt that I had an obligation to myself and
others, to do what I can to make a difference.”
11. Bruce Anderson, Iron County: “ It was a good course for me because I learned new ways to
map energy. I was very surprised [that] our company did not really look at any of these things as a
way to save money. We will now!”
12. Larry DeCoursey, Varian Medical Systems: “I personally enjoyed the Green Enterprise
Development course very much. It provided valuable information relative to sustainability but it
was done in an interesting and insightful way. I expected a‘tree hugger’approach before attending
and have to admit I held some skepticism the first day of class. By the end of the day I saw much
more to the course than just philosophy. Over the course I came to appreciate the impact of
pollution around us and how we can better use water, air, chemicals, and other natural resources
in a way that sustains there availability. We’ve implemented a number of projects at Varian Medical
Systems that have eliminated or reduced hazardous materials in production, initiated use of
reusable shipping containers, and reduced the amount of power consumed in manufacturing our
products. These efforts have saved Varian budget in virtually every project. I can recommend
the course to anyone interested in improving their bottom line while conserving vital natural
resources.”
13. TJ Siebeneck, Quality Manager/Engineer, Sportcourt: “I would highly recommend
this course to businesses across the state. We recently became ISO 14001 and established an
environmental management system. I signed up for the class in order to get ideas on how to
improve our environmental practices and our environmental management system. Going through
all of the waste streams helped me to identify key areas in our business where we could improve
our efficiency, be more environmentally friendly, and save money. I enjoyed the exercises that
we did in class and they gave me some ideas to apply at work and home alike. It was a positive
experience overall, and I walked away with knowledge of sustainability practices.”
15. 15
14. Connie Harris, Haemonetics: “This course has made me much more aware of how my
choices affect the world around me—and whether I wanted it or not when I started this course—I
am now frequently considering how my choices impact my environment: choosing bottled water,
tossing trash without sorting for recycling, choosing recycled products (when possible). These
choices seemed insignificant before, but now I realize how even small, insignificant choices add up
to big change…”
15. Jamie Moroz, Boart Longyear: “A great class that every company should take advantage of.
Learned a lot and have started to change how I work and think also at home.”
16. Lee Woodward, Otto Bock Healthcare: “This course has given me new tools and approaches
for saving money and resources for my company. Throughout the duration of this course we have
covered many practical examples that are relevant and attainable for our business. I look forward to
utilizing MEP’s services more in the future.”
17. Ashlee Jenson, Boart Longyear: I’ve always wanted to“go green”but I never fully
understood what it meant. I just knew it was better. After this course I know what I can do to make
a difference now and for future generations. The knowledge I have gained has helped me convince
my husband to be green too!”
18. Mark Meadows, Haemonetics: “It has given me ideas for numerous opportunities for cost
savings and minimizing the negative environmental impacts.”
19. Harold Smith, Boart Longyear: “I would eventually like to see all Plant employees have the
opportunity to take this class.”
20. Todd Bangerter, Varian Medical Systems: “The Sustainability Enterprise Development
course by MEP is a great way to learn how to make money for your business and be green doing it!
It was very hands-on and just a great class!”
21. Matt Beauchaine, Varian Medical Systems: “This class taught me how to map and find the
areas of my facility where there were opportunities to improve process or systems for profitability
but also environmental benefits. It also gave me the ability to show and prove where the savings
would be. This will help in decision making and influencing change in my facility.”
23. Cory Barrett, Boart Longyear: “The Green Enterprise course is perfect for someone who
has minimal knowledge of environmental impacts their company has but wants to learn how to
help their company go green. After taking the course I have several new ideas on how to avoid
unnecessary waste. We were educated on tools that assist with implementation of green concepts.”
24. Eric Wells, Facilities Engineering Supervisor, BD Medical- Medical Surgical Systems:
“The class provided high-level information and resources for implementing green manufacturing.
The information has enabled me to identify potential projects for all phases of WASTE. I found the
methods of calculating savings very useful in putting management proposals together for new
reduction projects. In my position, the course was very timely and informative. I would suggest the
course to anyone who is responsible for his or her organization’s environmental program”.
16. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling (801) 526-9240. Individuals with speech
and/or hearing impairments may call the Relay Utah by dialing 711. Spanish Relay Utah: 1-888-346-3162.
Department of Workforce Services • jobs.utah.gov
