The EDD awards $26.7 million to provide job training and support services to displaced oil and gas industry workers

NR No. 24-05
Contact: Loree Levy/Aubrey Henry
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO – The Employment Development Department (EDD) announced today that it has awarded four organizations a total $26.7 million from the State of California General Fund for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grant opportunity. The selected organizations will assist workers who are impacted by California’s gradual transition from oil and gas towards renewable energy. Awardees will guide displaced oil and gas industry workers into high-quality careers that offer economic stability and clear pathways for advancement.

“This funding will help the awarded organizations provide a pathway to future employment for displaced oil and gas workers,” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “Programs offered will help these workers enter new and developing sectors of the job market that can make use of, and build upon, their existing qualifications and skillsets.”

Through collaboration with employers, educational institutions, community-based organizations, labor unions, and workforce intermediaries, the awarded organizations will craft training programs aligned with current industry demands. These programs will help prepare displaced workers from the oil and gas industry for sectors that match their skills and offer comparable wages. These industries include renewable energy, high-technology, construction, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology, and other high-growth, high-wage certificated jobs. Programs supported by these grants will not only provide training and job opportunities but may also facilitate general support services for workers during their transition into new stable roles that offer long-term growth potential.

Funding for this grant was requested by Governor Newsom and provided by the state Legislature. The fund is administered by the EDD and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

The awarded organizations were selected through a competitive application and evaluation process. Please refer to the table below for the organizations’ contact information to learn more about the services available with these funds.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

Aaron Ellis, Chief Workforce Development Officer at Kern/lnyo/Mono Consortium Workforce Development Area - Kern County Employers' Training Resource: “In the energy capital of California, Kern County - Employer's Training Resource is grateful for the opportunity to help those targeted in the grant find gainful employment outside of the natural gas/oil industry. Our purpose is to assist both the county’s employers and jobseekers, we will provide wraparound services to address displaced workers’ needs including job search assistance; training or employment services; supportive services; and partnership collaborations. With our partners, we’ll offer an array of services and job training in fields such as construction/trades and utilities, transportation, logistics/warehousing and healthcare as well as employment opportunities with the County of Kern.” 

Gaylan Prescott, director of USW District 12, Steelworkers Charitable and Educational Organization (SCEO): “As we make the transition to a more sustainable future in the energy sector, we must ensure that we do so in a way that is just, responsible and economically sound, which includes California and 10 other western states. That means putting the future of workers – in particular those working in refining, terminal, pipeline and extraction jobs – at the forefront of our decisions. This award for the California Oil Workers Support Program will help our union members contribute to a strong, sustainable future.”

Tamia Brown, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County: “We are excited about the opportunities for our community with the nearly $4M awarded to us that will pioneer new initiatives to guide displaced oil and gas workers toward new job opportunities and career paths within five sectors that offer high-quality employment and livable wages. The grant will contribute to our mission of ‘achieving equity’ in our community, by offering job seekers apprenticeship, skill training, and work-based learning opportunities, while earning money during their time in the program.”

Mansour Id-Deen, Executive Director of Inter-City Services, Inc.: “We fully understand the challenges facing oil and gas workers as they relate to their transition into new careers. These workers have marketable skills, such as teamwork, time management, and attention to detail. This funding helps us connect these workers to new jobs in evolving industries, like renewable energy, construction, manufacturing, and information technology.”

Mike Smith, chair of the USW’s National Oil Bargaining Program: “When workers’ jobs are at risk, we have a responsibility to do more than simply push them into new jobs. We must make sure they are the same kind of unionized, family-supporting and community-building jobs they had before. We must also make certain that workers have access to training and education, financial support, and other resources as they navigate this path, and we must make sure that they know how and where to find the help they need. This grant is a means to ensuring that oil workers and their families have a strong future through that transition and beyond.”

BIG PICTURE: This funding is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Master Plan on Career Education that will guide the state in its efforts to strengthen career pathways, prioritize hands-on learning and real-life skills, and advance universal access and affordability for all Californians through streamlined collaboration and partnership across government and the private sector. 

Governor Newsom advanced a $48.3 billion multi-year commitment, alongside over $10 billion from the Biden-Harris Administration in federal climate funding, to implement nation-leading initiatives – slashing pollution and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045, protecting communities from harmful climate impacts, delivering 90% clean electricity by 2035, holding big oil accountable, and more.