Long Beach City College (LBCC) has been awarded more than $10 million in grants to help lead efforts to build a qualified workforce supportive of climate resiliency in Los Angeles and Orange counties. LBCC will receive $9.5 million from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Inflation Reduction Act Climate-Ready Workforce (CRW) for Coastal and Great Lakes States, Tribes, and Territories Initiative. The college will also receive $750,000 from the California Water, Wastewater and Energy Workforce Development Program of the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA). 

With this generous funding from NOAA and CMUA, LBCC will establish programs to educate, train, and place community members in innovative, climate-resilient occupations. Both grants also address the unique needs of those communities most disproportionately impacted by climate change and will connect underserved and under-resourced workers with training and job placement in climate-resilient careers.

“I’m incredibly proud that LBCC was selected by NOAA and CMUA to receive these grants,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, LBCC Superintendent-President. “Although climate change repercussions may be inevitable, we still hold the power to lessen the severity of the outcomes by changing both our collective behavior and infrastructure. Our students will be at the forefront of developing and implementing innovative solutions that are essential for sustaining our planet’s health and ensuring a resilient future for all.”  

“Preparing our students for the jobs of the future is one of our primary missions at LBCC,” said Vivian Malauulu, LBCC Board of Trustees President. “It is essential that we respond to ongoing climate change responsibly and in partnership with state, national, and global leaders. LBCC is committed to preparing the future workforce within our own community with the skills needed for in-demand climate-resilient employment opportunities.”

The CRW program aims to prepare communities for the far-reaching challenges of climate change by equipping the workforce with the skills and knowledge necessary to enhance climate resilience. NOAA’s CRW program has awarded LBCC $9.5 million to establish and support the Los Angeles County Climate Ready Employment Council. LBCC will serve as the backbone of this expansive project and will convene parties from the public, private, nonprofit, tribal, and educational sectors who play key roles in improving the county’s climate resiliency workforce. With the Council, LBCC will provide expertise that informs a regional workforce needs assessment and develop training and job placement in climate resilience occupations across all industry sectors in Los Angeles County. This assessment will coincide with LBCC’s immediate efforts to train individuals in solar and water management industries.

The CMUA, in partnership with the California African American Water Education Foundation, Jewish Vocational Service, and Water Education for Latino Leaders, recently launched the California Water, Wastewater and Energy Workforce Development Program. In response to widespread shortages of qualified workers in the utility industry, this program was designed to help create a new pipeline of skilled workers. Through this new program, CMUA has awarded LBCC a two-year, $750,000 grant. These funds will be used to train and place at least 70 individuals from underrepresented communities. The consortium will start in the fall 2024 and will end in March 2026. It also funds LBCC’s creation of the Careers in Energy, Water, and Wastewater Program to recruit, train, and place workers in the water and energy sectors.