San Bernardino, Calif. -- The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board and CleanEdison will launch a free, green job-training program for dislocated workers. Using grant money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this program is designed to stimulate the regional economy and upgrade workers' job skills to facilitate their reentry into the workforce.

"This program will provide crucial training to traditionally under-served community members, as well as retrain incumbent workers seeking to upgrade their skills," said Sandy Harmsen, Director of Workforce Development in San Bernardino County. "This initiative will help develop a skilled green workforce and provide career advancement and job security to workers, while helping to meet demand in the growing energy efficiency sector."

Scheduled to begin in mid-July, students who complete the training will become BPI Certified Building Analysts, qualified to perform energy audits to determine how much energy a home is wasting without proper insulation or duct sealing. Energy audits can help homeowners save as much as 30-40 percent on their monthly utility bills by utilizing the proper retrofits. The combination of classroom practicum and hands-on field training will enable training participants to quickly transition into the expanding green job market.

San Bernardino County residents interested in participating in this no-cost program should complete the online application at: www.cleanedison.com/free-training-application.html. The Workforce Investment Board can be reached through 800.451.JOBS or www.csb-win.org.