Climate-Ready Workforce Project

CETE is partnering with The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences on the Climate-Ready Workforce Project.

In support of advancing a climate-resilient workforce, the project’s goals are to prepare a diverse workforce with specialized expertise in water quality monitoring, geographic information systems, stormwater infrastructure, and environmental management to meet the unique needs of Ohio’s Great Lakes communities.

The initiative is strengthened through partnerships with:

Regional employers:

• Cleveland Water Department
• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
• Ohio Lake Erie Commission

Businesses:

• LimnoTech
• Geosyntec Consultants
• Mad Scientist Associates LLC
• Xylem

Workforce organizations:

• Ohio TechNet
• Cleveland Water Alliance
• Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments
• Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District
• Student Conservation Association
  
  

Community organizations including the Junction Coalition in Toledo also play a pivotal role in recruiting trainees from climate-vulnerable neighborhoods, enhancing socioeconomic outcomes while addressing environmental challenges.

Project activities are coordinated through a framework focused on curriculum and program development, workforce needs assessment, employer engagement, and alignment of training with industry demands. Using the Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) job analysis process, the center will identify essential knowledge, skills, and tools for critical roles, which serve as the foundation for new curricula. CETE associates will contribute across all project areas, leading efforts to connect workforce training with the evolving demands of climate-resilient water resource management.

Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Principal Investigator: Dr. Lorrayne Miralha

Co-PI and Project Contact: Traci Lepicki

Award Total: $4,852,566