Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced funding for two workforce development programs established under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), including $10 million for the Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program and $6 million for the Energy Transition Barrier Reduction Program. Together, the programs will expand training opportunities in the clean energy trades, increase the pool of skilled workers, and improve diversity in the industry. The Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program will prioritize underrepresented groups and provide participants with hands-on training, classroom education, and career counseling free of charge. The Energy Transition Barrier Reduction Program seeks to address barriers that often limit access to and successful completion of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs by offering participants support for wraparound services, such as transportation, childcare, and equipment. The programs will serve approximately 500 to 700 pre-apprentices in the first year across three regional centers and will be run by training partners selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process. Learn more about the programs here.