Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity and Vermont Tech Launch Weatherization Quality Control Training
RANDOLPH CENTER, VT - The Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), the Technology Extension Division (TED) at Vermont Technical College and the Center for Sustainable Practices (CSP) at Vermont Tech launched the first of several distinct weatherization certificate trainings this week aimed at improving and enhancing Vermont's weatherization workforce.
Eleven participants from OEO, four community action organizations and one HomeOwnership center received certificate training December 9 - 11 to become certified Weatherization Quality Control Inspectors. Certified inspectors examine the work completed by weatherization contractors to determine whether the end result accomplished what was initially proposed.
Graduates of the program will meet the growing demand from lending institutions for qualified inspectors who are capable of certifying that weatherization efforts supported by loans are both completed and effective based on the original specifications offered by the contractor.
"The number of weatherization and home energy contractors in Vermont is growing rapidly," said OEO Director Tony Morgan, "and along with that, the need for trained inspectors capable of assuring that the weatherization efforts we support are effective."
Jay Paterson, Director of the Technology Extension Division at Vermont Tech stated that "this is the first of several weatherization certificate trainings we will offer in collaboration with OEO and the Center for Sustainable Practices and we're pleased to be playing a role in helping to ensure the quality of weatherization installations in Vermont."
Leading this week's training were G.H. Runevitch and Jamie Marshall from the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD), a national leader in weatherization training.
The collaborative will be offering a Weatherization Installer certification training in January, 2009 and has additional certificate training sessions planned throughout the coming year. For more information please contact Phil Petty, Interim Director, Center for Sustainable Practices at Vermont Tech at 802-728-1208 or via email at [email protected]