Section 820.50  Required Program Activities

Selected Energy Transition Navigators will connect individuals to the CEJA workforce and contractor programs. These Energy Transition Navigators, including their partners, will provide education, outreach and recruitment services to eligible populations, including equity focused populations, to ensure they are aware of and engaged in the CEJA and other statewide and local workforce and contractor development programs. The program activities provided by Energy Transition Navigators and their partners must include the following services:

a)         Education, outreach and recruitment will include providing information and consultation to eligible individuals on various training opportunities and supportive services available through CEJA and other statewide and local workforce development programs. Outreach and recruitment strategies may include activities and community-hosted events.  Energy Transition Navigators also will provide guidance to individuals on training and career opportunities in the emerging clean energy economy. 

b)         Prioritize outreach and recruitment for individuals eligible for the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program [20 ILCS 730/5-20] and the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program [20 ILCS 730/5-40].  Energy Transition Navigators must provide enrollment and participation assistance to prospective and enrolled participants in coordination with the organizations administering these two programs. 

c)         Partner with organizations that manage the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program and the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program in the Energy Transition Navigator's region to coordinate outreach and recruitment activities. 

d)         Assist eligible individuals in accessing the Energy Transition Barrier Reduction Program [20 ILCS 730/5-30] wrap-around support services through the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program and the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program.

e)         Encourage eligible individuals interested in starting or growing a business to participate in the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program [20 ILCS 730/5-45] or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program [20 ILCS 730/5-55], or connect them to local Small Business Development Centers, APEX Accelerators or economic development organizations to engage in services, including, but not limited to, business consulting, business planning, regulatory compliance, marketing, training, accessing capital, government contract bidding and certification assistance.

f)         In coordination with the organizations that administer the Clean Jobs Workforce Network and the Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Programs in their region, Energy Transition Navigators:

1)         Will refer individuals to local workforce innovation boards and other relevant organizations, if those individuals are not interested in the CEJA workforce and contractor programs; and

2)         Must engage with local employers, educational institutions, industry leaders, labor unions and other workforce stakeholders in an inclusive manner to identify the skill and hiring needs of the local clean energy industry and to gather information, which will be used to prioritize training program offerings, curricular modifications, career pathway support, and job placement for eligible populations. 

g)         Connect individuals interested in entrepreneurial pursuits or other workforce programs to State workforce and business development centers outside of the CEJA programs, including:

1)         Small Business Development Centers;

2)         APEX Accelerators;

3)         American Job Centers (also known as one-stop centers) created through WIOA;

4)         Regional or local economic development organizations; and

5)         Regional or local workforce innovation boards.

h)         Collaborate and coordinate with the Department as well as the grantees and administrators of the programs created by CEJA and other workforce and contractor programs including those programs listed in Sections 820.10 and 820.50(g).

i)          Engage potential CEJA program participants across the entirety of all regions the Energy Transition Navigator serves.

j)          Foster a welcoming, equitable and inclusive environment. that upholds the core values of diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity. These core values should inform all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, program design and partnerships.

k)         Implement a system to track demographic information for program participants, outreach and engagement numbers broken down by race, gender, age, the number of individuals who apply to participate in and complete programs offered through the various CEJA workforce and contractor programs, and other criteria as directed by the Department.

l)          Construct an assessment that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Energy Transition Navigator's education, outreach and recruitment efforts and how this information will be used to improve these efforts in a continuous manner.

m)        Cooperate with external evaluation efforts, as directed by the Department.

n)         Provide an annual report to the Department by April 1 of each calendar year.  The Department will publish these annual reports on its website.  The annual report shall include the following information:

1)         a description of the Energy Transition Navigator's recruitment, screening, and training efforts;

2)         the number of individuals who apply to, participate in, and complete programs offered through the CEJA workforce programs, broken down by race, gender, age, and location; and

3)         any other information deemed necessary by the Department. [20 ILCS 730/5-35(i)]