THE LAUNCH OF A NEW WEB PLATFORM, OSWLONGISLAND, IS THE FIRST STEP IN WHAT WILL BECOME A COMPLETE ONLINE AND IN-SCHOOL OFFSHORE WIND CAREER GUIDANCE PROGRAM.

Melville NY— The Institute for Workforce Advancement (IWA), with sponsorship and support from Vineyard Offshore, today launched a new platform, OSWLONGISLAND.ORG, as the first step in what will become a complete online and in-school offshore wind career guidance program.  The website will also serve as a career educational platform for adults looking to learn how to transition to the industry. 

“The current roster of offshore projects in New York waters will require the build out of a workforce as large as the aerospace and defense industry was at it its peak. Engaging students and young adults before the height of industry demand ensures these jobs stay local and are not outsourced to other states or countries,” said Phil Rugile, Executive Director of the IWA. “An industry this large will be creating opportunities for high-paying union and nonunion manufacturing, construction, and operations maintenance jobs, as well as for college graduates in engineering, project management, programming, and more.” 

To engage future workers, OSWLONGISLAND will reach out to teachers and parents, as well. This will happen using the site’s intuitive and fun user interface, with detailed descriptions matching required skills to specific jobs, defining where in the project lifecycle these jobs are needed, and ultimately guiding them to job openings in companies active in this space. The website will provide extensive links to other resources including direct connections to the jobs data being provided on the NYS Energy Departments Offshore Wind Workforce website and integrating with their Offshore Wind Youth Action Program (OWYA). Phase 2 of the project will be the development of an in-school workshop, walking students and teachers through the industry and providing a hands-on activity to illustrate the technologies involved. 

Vineyard Offshore’s External Affairs Manager, Andrea Bonilla, added, “At Vineyard Offshore we are committed to getting community members from 2 to 92 involved in the offshore wind industry through awareness and education. This partnership with IWA will allow for us to reach many age groups and generations and bring community members on-board to the many training and career opportunities in this emerging industry as we develop Excelsior Wind for the State of New York.”

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About The Institute for Workforce Advancement

The IWA, a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit, is one of the Northeast region’s leading advanced manufacturing workforce development training organizations. We provide essential programming for incumbent and in-transition workers, and college and non-college bound students; from energy to aerospace, pharmaceuticals to building trades. The IWA partners with industry, government, and educational institutions to fill the employment pipeline for in-demand engineers and installation and technical service workers, with a focus on hard-to-fill positions and low-income, high-needs communities.

The IWA also works with national research and training institutions to ensure our programs consistently meet and exceed local and national skills requirements. For more information, visit iwa-us.org and our offshore wind industry website oswsupplychain.org/ 

About Vineyard Offshore

Vineyard Offshore is leading the development of two lease areas in the Northeast, in addition to a recently acquired lease in Northern California, OCS-P 0562. Lease area OCS-A 522, known as Vineyard Northeast, is located off the coast of Massachusetts. OCS-A 544, known as Vineyard Mid-Atlantic and home to the Excelsior Wind Project, is located in the New York Bight. All three lease areas are owned by funds managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). Combined with its joint venture development of the first-in-the-nation offshore wind project, Vineyard Wind, now under construction, Vineyard Offshore has the potential to develop more than 6 gigawatts of clean, renewable and affordable energy on the East and West Coasts of the United States.  To learn more, visit: www.vineyardoffshore.com.