Latest news with #Construct
Business Journals
3 days ago
- General
- Business Journals
Portland DEI consultant navigates Trump reality
Construct the Present founder Alexis Braly James (center), senior facilitator Tashawna Gordon (left), and organizational development specialist Tia Nettles (right)
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois' clean energy transition needs workers. ComEd is training them.
Illinois is going to need a whole lot more workers to realize its clean energy aspirations. The state has some of the nation's most ambitious climate laws, with a target of transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2050. In 2030 — just five years from now — it aims to achieve 40% renewable energy. The shift away from fossil fuels could create more than 150,000 jobs in Illinois by mid-century, according to a 2022 study commissioned by ComEd, the state's largest utility. Since 2012, ComEd has offered a suite of what it calls 'Academy' training programs that are helping to meet that need, preparing a diverse pool of more than 1,000 residents from in and around Chicago for entry-level positions in the construction, utility, and clean energy fields. 'We are delivering clean energy 24/7, 365 [days a year] — reliable power to 9 million people across Northern Illinois,' Laticia Holbert, senior workforce development manager for ComEd, told Canary Media. 'And so it's our duty to make sure that we are working with our communities to get a talent pipeline. We are proud of the legacy that we have done throughout our training programs, and we continue to expand.' The goal of the programs is two-fold — not only to increase the size of the workforce but also to provide employment opportunities for members of environmental justice communities, who for decades have borne the brunt of adverse effects from fossil-fuel extraction. Training programs aimed at these groups, advocates point out, help to ensure that the clean energy transition does not perpetuate the injustices of the fossil-fuel economy. 'We are partnering with the community to make sure that we're bringing in a diverse talent pipeline, by delivering targeted programs to ensure that more local residents are prepared for, I like to say, good-paying jobs [with] family-sustaining wages,' Holbert said. 'We know that is really critical for our communities. We know, with the current climate [and] how clean energy is really revolutionizing, how we need to look at the demand for jobs.' In mid-April, ComEd and a coalition of companies, labor organizations, and community groups celebrated 73 new graduates from two of the utility's job training programs, Construct Infrastructure Academy and Craft Academy, at the University of Illinois Chicago Forum. U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D) spoke at the event, as did the CEO of ComEd and representatives of the company United Scrap Metal and the nonprofit Chicago Urban League. Britney Evans, a 2025 graduate of ComEd's Construct program who spoke at the ceremony, said that the training she received sets her up to succeed in the trades. 'From the build day to the job shadows and coursework, the Construct program gave me the boost I needed to build my professional network, be challenged, and find new opportunities," Evans said. "It really helped me understand the daily realities and benefits of the construction industry, and now my classmates and I will be able to break through all the glass ceilings and advance further in our lives and careers.' Another of ComEd's Academy training programs, which was not represented at the event, is the Power Up Academy, which provides participants the opportunity to earn design and engineering industry-required certifications for careers related to the clean energy sector. Launched in 2023 in partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, the 14-week Power Up Academy program is designed to remove barriers to entry for local residents pursuing engineering-related careers. The program attained accreditation in 2024, enabling past and future participants to qualify for up to 13 credit hours toward future degree programs. Each of ComEd's three programs provides training at no charge to participants, along with a stipend during the program and ongoing career guidance and financial support after completion, Holbert said. Approximately 70% of graduates across all of ComEd's training programs land in entry-level positions with the utility or its more than 40 partner employers, taking on roles such as project coordinators, construction workers, lineworkers, design technicians, and underground locators, who help identify where infrastructure is buried. Historically, more than 95% of program participants have been people of color, and 25% have been women. This year's class of graduates is comprised of more than 90% people of color and nearly 20% women, according to ComEd. Participants must be at least 18 years old, have earned either a high school diploma or GED certificate, demonstrate 10th-grade-level math and reading skills, and hold a valid driver's license, Holbert said. ComEd also requires potential students to complete an admissions interview along with a drug test and background check. However, individuals with past drug use or who were formerly incarcerated are not automatically disqualified. Consideration is made on a case-by-case basis, Holbert said. 'So, for returning citizens, we welcome them in the program,' Holbert said. Of the 73 participants who graduated in April, 64 had taken part in the Construct Infrastructure Academy. During the 11-week program, participants learned basic construction skills and earned industry certifications such as a commercial driver's license and Occupational Safety and Health Administration training. They also learned about installing heat pumps, induction stoves, and solar panels. Participants also had the opportunity to shadow and learn from industry partners. For instance, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Chicago, this year's Construct students helped build homes across Chicagoland's South and Southwest Sides as part of their training curriculum. During a recent Habitat for Humanity Chicago Build Day, they tiled bathrooms, hung kitchen cabinets, added trim and molding, and painted walls. The project allowed participants to apply their newfound knowledge on safety techniques, handling basic hand tools, and working as a team. Meanwhile, the nine Craft Academy graduates completed a physically demanding six-week training program that requires utility-pole climbing, a prerequisite experience for an apprenticeship to become an overhead lineworker. Overhead lineworkers play a critical role in maintaining and modernizing the power grid. That task is essential for meeting rising electricity demands as people purchase more EVs and electrify their homes and businesses. These graduates are now eligible for scholarships to the Dawson Technical Institute Overhead Electrical Line Worker program of the City Colleges of Chicago, which will enable them to pursue careers in the electric utility industry. 'We are honored to have joined forces with ComEd over the last 13 years in connecting members of our communities to training opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives,' said Chicago Urban League CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson during the graduation ceremony. 'The Construct and Craft programs represent a gateway to lucrative jobs that can provide the chance to build lasting careers and generational wealth.' ComEd uses money from its own budget to run the training programs, Holbert said. No federal funds are involved. 'I don't think [the present political climate] has any impact at all because we have to hire people to work on our grid, our system,' she said. 'So we need talented people. That's just what our mission is. So nothing's changed about how we're doing and what we're doing.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Terabase Energy secures $130 million to expand solar technology deployment
(Reuters) - Solar technology company Terabase Energy announced on Thursday it has secured a funding of $130 million, led by SoftBank, to scale its technology deployment for large solar projects. The funding round, the largest in the company's history, brings Terabase Energy's total funding to $200 million. The company did not disclose the valuation at which the amount was raised. Despite 84% of the new electricity generation capacity added to the United States power grid last year coming from solar and energy storage, the sector faces a challenging future due to the U.S. government's new energy policies encouraging fossil fuels. U.S. venture funding has also been on the back foot in early 2025, with a few artificial intelligence-integrated companies making headlines. The company works with solar-power plant developers, engineers and construction firms through its platform, which helps in workflow digitalization and automation. Terabase will use the funding in part to further develop its robotics-assisted assembly line, Terafab, which according to the company removes "bottlenecks in construction speed and workforce limitations". The company also operates PlantPredict, a solar modeling software, and a construction management platform called Construct. "The surge in energy demand, particularly from AI data centers, underscores the urgency of scalable, sustainable solutions," said Kentaro Matsui, managing partner at SoftBank Global Advisers. SoftBank, known for financing technology companies in a nascent stage, also funded Terabase through its Vision Fund 2. The company also counts Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Fifth Wall, SJF Ventures and EDP Ventures as existing investors.
Reuters
13-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Terabase Energy secures $130 million to expand solar technology deployment
March 13 (Reuters) - Solar technology company Terabase Energy announced on Thursday it has secured a funding of $130 million, led by SoftBank, to scale its technology deployment for large solar projects. The funding round, the largest in the company's history, brings Terabase Energy's total funding to $200 million. The company did not disclose the valuation at which the amount was raised. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. Despite 84% of the new electricity generation capacity added to the United States power grid last year coming from solar and energy storage, the sector faces a challenging future due to the U.S. government's new energy policies encouraging fossil fuels. U.S. venture funding has also been on the back foot in early 2025, with a few artificial intelligence-integrated companies making headlines. The company works with solar-power plant developers, engineers and construction firms through its platform, which helps in workflow digitalization and automation. Terabase will use the funding in part to further develop its robotics-assisted assembly line, Terafab, which according to the company removes "bottlenecks in construction speed and workforce limitations". The company also operates PlantPredict, a solar modeling software, and a construction management platform called Construct. "The surge in energy demand, particularly from AI data centers, underscores the urgency of scalable, sustainable solutions," said Kentaro Matsui, managing partner at SoftBank Global Advisers. SoftBank, known for financing technology companies in a nascent stage, also funded Terabase through its Vision Fund 2. The company also counts Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Fifth Wall, SJF Ventures and EDP Ventures as existing investors.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Status report given on Joplin street, trail projects
The first phase of Zora Street widening and roundabout construction has been completed, and the roundabout opened to traffic last month. Joplin city staff provided an update on projects that are planned or underway using funding from the Capital Improvements Sales Tax during a City Council work session Monday. Street improvements are being done in that area because traffic from Missouri 249 to north Joplin and Webb City, including the Joplin-Webb City Industrial Park north of Zora Street, will carry more traffic in the future including heavy trucks going to the industrial park. There are two more phases of the work to streets in that area. The city will advertise for bids to build Phase 2 in the spring, Johnson said. That phase will improve Zora and add paved shoulders from Duquesne Road to Missouri 249. The final phase, Phase 3, will widen a portion of Zora from Range Line Road to Duquesne, adding curbs, gutters and a storm sewer system. The project is expected to cost about $9 million. Utility relocations are being done now in the area of 20th Street west of Schifferdecker Avenue in preparation for a planned widening of 20th Street from Schifferdecker to Central City Road. Construction is to begin this spring. The cost is placed at more than $9.87 million. Design work is underway for the removal of the Pennsylvania Avenue bridge from Fifth to Seventh streets. The bridge was closed in 2019 after state inspectors found it unsafe for vehicle traffic and pedestrians. A request for bids for the demolition is to be advertised in summer for the start of removal in the fall. Johnson said public meetings will be held to determine whether a street should be built there or use it for some other infrastructure. The design phase is slated to cost $4.8 million. Reconstruction and beautification of the intersection area at Fourth Street and Murphy Boulevard are going well, Johnson said. The intersection is open to traffic, but four-way stops are still in place. Permanent pavement markings will be added and landscaping and other decorative elements will be completed soon. The intersection will remain a four-way stop while work continues in the area. Upon completion, the intersection will have new traffic signals, turn lanes and sidewalks to allow for pedestrian safety and access to the trail in Landreth Park. Stormwater work is also part of the project. The cost is $1.99 million. Also planned this year is work at 15th Street and Range Line. Johnson said construction work will start in a couple of months both at the intersection and to build in a formal 15th Street east of the intersection and improve accesses to the shopping in that area. The project will cost about $1.5 million. Streetscaping along Main Street from 10th to 15th streets is planned. A public meeting will be held to discuss design plans for the area. The project will be bid out during the summer. Construction would begin in the fall, Johnson said. Design work is budgeted at $6 million. Construction of the Tin Cup Trail south of 32nd Street and St. John's Boulevard is ongoing and should wrap up in late spring, Johnson said. Also under construction is the Tin Cup Bridge to connect users to the trail behind the Joplin Family Y. Those come at a cost of more than $1.6 million each. Design for the Grand Falls Trail to connect to McIndoe Park and the Grand Falls area also is to be done this year at a cost of $1.3 million. Also planned is the contract to design the replacement of the Sixth Street parking garage on Sixth Street and Virginia Avenue. That phase will cost $4 million.
