Industrial Assessment Center Programs at Trade Schools, Community Colleges, and Union Training Programs

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC)

Purpose

To establish new Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) at community colleges, trade schools, and union training programs, as well as to create new Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTACs) at institutions of higher education, including Tribal colleges and universities.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

Projects must focus on smart manufacturing, energy management systems, sustainable manufacturing, information technology advancements for supply chain analysis, logistics, system monitoring, industrial and manufacturing processes, and other purposes. Eligible recipients include Institutions of Higher Education, Community Colleges, Trade Schools, Or Union Training Programs. There are 37 Industrial Assessment centers where funds must be allocated.

Decarbonization Considerations

This program seeks to train workers in long term ,good paying union jobs in the new low-carbon economy. The four roadmap pillars of this program are energy efficiency, industrail electrification, low carbon fuels, feedstocks, and energy sources, and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage.

Equity Considerations

IACs and BTACs will be expected to work together with DOE, labor unions, and industry to ensure that the training provided offers access for students, apprentices, and other trainees (and particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds and disadvantaged communities) to credentials along existing and emerging clean energy pathways supporting high-quality jobs and safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces. Applications should detail how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility objectives (DEIA) will be incorporated into the project.

Helpful Tips

Applicants will apply to one of three tracks: 1. One-year initial planning and capacity building awards of up to $200,000 each for institutions to plan how they will establish a future IAC (with the intent to apply for a Track 2 award in 2025), 2. Three-year execution and scale awards of $500,000-$2,000,000 for existing career training programs to become an IAC, and 3. Three-year consortia and cohort awards of $4,000,000-$7,000,000 for facilitated groups of colleges, state systems, multi-local union projects, apprenticeship intermediaries, and their IAC-eligible partners to establish several IACs at once.

Other Notes

See previous selectees here: https://www.energy.gov/mesc/industrial-assessment-centers-iac-expansion-and-building-training-and-assessment-centers-btac