Governor Rell: ‘Green Collar’ Training Program Will
Provide Increased Job Opportunities for Residents

Transcript of Video of Governor Rell's Speech at Cheney Tech

Governor Rell: I am pleased to be here and I am pleased to be here to talk about one of what I call the more important initiatives that I had in my budget this year and in the budget speech I presented back in February. You know every year you get to put through a whole host of ideas and I know that we can focus on any number of them - you know talking about a variety of measures but I chose today to come to talk to you about what I consider to be a very good economic plan that we put into the budget this year. I will also admit to you that the dollars involved are probably not as large as some other initiatives. We also know that times are tight when it comes to financing right now but I will share with that I believe the payoff is absolutely enormous.

And what am I talking about. We are talking about "Green Collar" jobs. Now, you've heard of blue collar jobs. white collar jobs and you are probably looking back at me and saying, "What is this woman talking about, "Green Collar" jobs?" Well I didn't ask the Department of Environmental Protection to be here without a reason because of course we are concerned about the environment. But what we really want to focus on is the preparation for the jobs of the 21st century and you know students, I'm impressed, I want to tell you right now. I'm impressed while we walk through, whether it's the freshmen telling me out there about how to find electricity and trying to find out how this light bulb is going to work. I asked each of them a little question about is it easier to have the hands-on experience or easier to be reading a book. Everyone of them said the hands-on experience. But that's what it's all about. You are the future who we are getting this hands-on experience now and will translate into so much more later.

When we talk about "Green Collar" jobs, we mean those jobs that are involving the new technologies, the new techniques that are energy efficient and better for the environment. These jobs are becoming increasingly important in the construction and remodeling of our homes and businesses over the next couple of years. Let's face it. All of us are talking about reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gases any way we can to make things more efficient. And we not only look at alternative energy but we are going to be building in the future and these changes clearly mean an opportunity for all of us and all of you.

These new opportunities are going to come in research, design, engineering, and manufacturing. Just as a side note, I want to share with you that a couple of weeks ago, I was talking before a business group and we are all talking about the state of the economy right now. And I said it is sort of like looking at a bell curve, when you look at this, we have been on high in our state for building and housing for good economic times and as the decline starts to come down, we are looking at this lull that we have to go through before we come back up again. And I look at this time not as a time that we sit there and wring our hands and say "Woe is me, we are in real difficult times right now." I look at this time as an opportunity time. This is when we need to invest. We need to invest in you students because you are the ones that will be holding those jobs as we come out of this economic slump.

And so the best way to do it is to prepare for those jobs of the 21st century. To prepare for the next wave that we all know that being green, being energy efficient, being in the know will be important when it comes to establishing ourselves in those fields. So these opportunities are going to be there, they are going to be there for installing and maintaining the clean tech solutions which we are all going to rely on more and more. New jobs from installation of everything from solar panels, insulation, to new windows. And the experts that there will be hundreds of thousands of "Green Collar" jobs across the nation in the next decade.

So we are not going to waste any time sitting there, we are going to be looking at that next decade and where we need to position ourselves. And I want the students of Connecticut to be at the head of the line. I want you to be there with the training, the confidence, and the expertise to succeed. With the funding I've proposed, we can get right to work on developing curriculum that we need to take advantage of this opportunity. And the schools can consult with the leaders from business, from industry and labor in order to develop the best ideas for integrating the new instruction into the curriculum and the training that we now offer.

You know I was looking over the shoulders of one of the young men out there and looking at the book and saying "I'm glad he is reading this book and not me." You know here, here and here. But the fact is you do so much already so it is not going to be hard to transition into what will be expected of the jobs in the future. Our technical schools already have a strong focus on construction with programs in electrical, HVAC and Plumbing and with the funding I have proposed in the budget this year, I have proposed that we be able to strengthen these disciplines and the instruction in these emerging "Green Collar" fields.

But I need your help. You didn't think I came here without asking something from you in return. Yes, I am the governor and yes, sometimes people listen to me but not always. So right now, as the budget process works its way through the General Assembly, I need all of you to call your legislators and let them know how important this is to all of you and to your future. And you think to yourself, "Hey, I am just a student. I don't count." You do count and your voice counts and should be heard. And it's not just you. It's also the part-time students. It's also your parents. And I guess I sound like I'm lobbying and I guess in a way I am. I am asking your here today to let legislators know that what we do here today and how we invest, not only at Cheney Tech but at all the 18 tech schools that we will make jobs available for those in the future because they are going to walk out the door, ready to go, ready with the skills that are necessary. So my lobbying part is simply this: let legislators know how important this is to you and together we can get the job done and get the bill passed and this funding will be in the budget this year. Good luck to you all of you. You really are a fine example of our best students. We are very, very proud of you. Thank you, Bruce.

(Applause)

Principal Bruce Sievers: I'd like to thank Governor Rell for choosing Cheney Tech as the venue for today's press conference and as a token of our gratitude to you, at this time I would like to ask Ben and Spencer to come forward please. I want to introduce two students to you governor. Governor, this is Ben Anamatte who is Senior in our Manufacturing Technology shop and this is Spencer Douchette who is a Freshmen in our Manufacturing Technology shop and guys, I'll let you make the presentation.

Ben: I would like to thank you personally for coming down to Cheney Tech for having the Environmental Protection Agency and everyone else here today, As a toke of our appreciation, we made this clock. Thank you for coming here.

Governor Rell: Wow. This will have to be a gift to the state. (laughter) But I appreciate it and it is going right into my office and it will be very nice for everyone to see when they come in there. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.(showing to our guest dignitaries Isn't that beautiful? It's great. Very nice.