Job Training
Who are Eligible Job Trainees?
Eligible Job Trainees are workers who have earned credentials in Qualified Job Training Programs, including:
- CEJA and FEJA Workforce Development Programs
- Other Qualifying Programs (OQPs)
How to Find and Hire Eligible Job Trainees
Below is a list of resources to help you navigate the Job Training requirement and find, hire, and track the workers you need.
- Review the Job Training Requirement: Refer to the Approved Vendor Manual for complete Job Training information about Eligible Job Trainees and qualifying programs, guidance on reporting work of Eligible Job Trainees, and more.
- Identify Eligible Job Trainees: Search the directory below to find trainees in CEJA or FEJA Workforce Development Programs or Other Qualifying Programs. Work directly with the job training program’s organizer to confirm eligibility and the appropriate hiring process. Each program has its own rules and specialties.
- Track Participation: Refer to the Approved Vendor Manual for details on collecting and tracking data. A completed affidavit for each Eligible Job Trainee is required upon Part II project approval submission.
Complying with Job Training
There are two categories of job training requirements for Approved Vendors for all ILSFA sub-programs: portfolio requirements and percentage of annual projects requirements. To meet the job training requirements, Approved Vendors must ensure:
- Projects across an Approved Vendor’s entire ILSFA portfolio on an annual basis include a minimum percentage of work hours performed by Eligible Job Trainees, increasing annually for the first three years, and
- At least 33% of ILSFA projects annually in each sub-program have at least one Eligible Job Trainee.
Minimum Equity Standard (MES)
Approved Vendors complying with the MES requirement ensure that a minimum 14% of their workforce on ILSFA projects is comprised of Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs). CEJA requires that the MES increase over subsequent delivery years to eventually reach 30% by 2030. More information on this can be found in the Illinois Power Agency’s Long-Term Plan.
Who are Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs)?
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) outlines these qualifications:
- Graduates or participants (current or former) of select clean energy training programs
- People currently or formerly enrolled in the foster care system
- People formerly incarcerated
- Those whose primary residence is in an Equity Investment Eligible Community
How to Find and Hire Equity Eligible Persons
To comply with the MES requirement, Approved Vendors must meet, engage, and recruit EEPs. Useful resources include Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity workforce hubs, local educational and job training workshops, job fairs, trade schools, community colleges, and more.
Employers can post jobs, and EEPs seeking employment may register in the Illinois Power Agency’s Energy Workforce Equity Portal.
Complying with MES
Approved Vendors who choose to participate in MES must:
Submit an MES Combined Compliance Plan and Year-End Report (July 15 )
The Compliance Plan outlines how the Approved Vendor will achieve compliance in the upcoming program year, including the following information:
- Estimated project workforce total and demographics
- Estimated number of EEPs currently in a project workforce
- Number of EEPs to be hired in the program year for compliance
- A communication/outreach plan for increasing EEP utilization
The Year-End section of the report documents how compliance was achieved in the previous Program Year. Approved Vendors will need to verify EEPs in their total project workforce for the Program Year by providing the full name of the EEP, if registered on the Energy Workforce Equity Portal, or completing an EEP-signed attestation and supporting documentation. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action and may jeopardize participation in ILSFA. Register EEPs.
Submit a Mid-Year Report (December)
The Mid-Year Report shows progress toward Compliance Plan goals. If an Approved Vendor indicates that it is struggling to meet the MES, the Program Administrator will provide additional resources to support successful compliance.
New Approved Vendors will be required to submit an MES Compliance Plan as part of their registration process.
