Programs

Jobs-ON
Delaware Strong

This job-creating program is a statewide pre-apprenticeship training initiative implemented and managed by the HELP Initiative to advance the occupational skills of entry-level new workers. The program offers on-the-job training so that these new workers can obtain field experiences that cannot be gained by classroom training alone. Energize Delaware, Franklin Energy, adult education divisions in technical high schools, Delaware Department of Labor, contractors and faith-based organizations are our valued program partners.

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

Like Connecticut’s Green STEP (Sustainability Technical Education Program), which trains young adults for green-industry employment opportunities, Jobs-ON Delaware Strong is a pre-apprenticeship developmental program based on the concepts of sustainability, energy efficiency, renewables and green building concepts.

Green building refers not only to the structure itself but also to the environmentally responsible thinking that goes into it, and efficiency of the resources and processes used throughout its life cycle—from planning, design and construction to operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.

To staff green-industry employee positions, Jobs-ON Delaware Strong seeks to recruit and train underrepresented, disadvantaged or low-skilled individuals who will meet the entry requirements, gain consideration and be prepared to enter a registered apprenticeship program. The graduates will be placed on a pathway to initially receive the Building Science Principles Certification. This Building Performance Institute certification will equip this future workforce to perform tasks in energy-efficiency sectors, including workers with skills and credentials to operate, maintain, repair, inspect and train on energy technology systems.

 

THE GOALS

The goals of the Jobs-ON Delaware Strong program are to:

  • Identify a qualified pipeline of registered apprentices
  • Expand the underrepresented, disadvantaged or low-skilled population that could not otherwise participate
  • Recognize, or give credit for, prior applicable education or training and work experience
  • Define specific metrics to track and understand progress, identify results or outcomes achieved and share lessons learned
  • Prepare young adults with the skills and competencies needed to enter a Delaware Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program for green-industry jobs
  • Provide hands-on training in close collaboration with the Lights-ON Delaware Strong campaign and the Home Energy Counseling and Checkup (HEC2) program funded by Energize Delaware
  • Award the Building Science Principles (BSP) Certificate of Knowledge to those who successfully complete their training

Engage with potential employers and introduce them to program graduates for job-placement consideration based on a working relationship with these same employers as part of the Lights-ON, Heat-ON, Health-ON and Weatherization-ON campaigns.

REQUIREMENTS

Scheduled information sessions will be held to provide prospective students with an overview of the program and students’ responsibilities, a tour of the facility, an introduction to program staff, and information about the application and enrollment processes.

Applicants will be required to complete background checks and drug screenings prior to enrollment. In addition, all applicants will be tested for literacy in reading and math prior to enrollment, using the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System Goals test. A minimum standard of a ninth-grade literacy level in language has been established for admission. These admission requirements have been established to ensure that the individuals who participate in the training are likely to benefit and find success in transitioning to employment upon completion.

Individuals who do not achieve the required minimum academic standard will be given an opportunity to participate in academic remediation programming, free of charge. Remediation classes will typically be offered prior to the start of training.

Contact Us

Are you a young man or woman interested in the HELP Initiative’s Jobs-ON Delaware Strong program? Simply complete the form below, and we will respond quickly. Or contact our call center Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., to speak with a knowledgeable representative who can provide you with full program details, qualifications and eligibility criteria, and income requirements.

Call 833-888-0410 or 302-672-0778.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.