CARBONDALE — The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has awarded Man-Tra-Con Corporation $2,347,608 to operate a free clean energy workforce training hub serving 19 Southern Illinois counties. The funding comes through the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which is investing in workforce training across Illinois as the clean energy industry grows.
Man-Tra-Con’s first training cohort, a 16-week solar installation program based in Harrisburg, is now underway. The organization aims to train 130 Southern Illinois residents in year one, with additional cohorts at locations throughout the region to be announced in the coming months.
“Right now, a lot of the clean energy work happening in this region is going to crews from out of state. This program is about changing that and making sure Southern Illinois residents are the ones building that future.”
The program is designed for Southern Illinois residents who have faced barriers to traditional job training — a parent who can’t afford to stop working, a young adult looking for a real path forward, or someone re-entering the workforce after incarceration. Training is completely free, and Man-Tra-Con provides support services to help reduce common barriers to attending training, including transportation, childcare, and other challenges that can make programs like this difficult to complete. Participants also receive a stipend of up to $13 per hour of instruction.
Graduates earn an OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Certification, First Aid/CPR Certification, and are prepared to sit for the NABCEP PV Associate exam, a nationally recognized solar credential. Job placement support continues for 12 months after graduation.
Man-Tra-Con has been connecting Southern Illinois residents with jobs and job training for nearly 50 years. Funded through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the organization has helped thousands of job seekers across the region and consistently places more than three-quarters of participants in employment.
The program serves residents across 19 Southern Illinois counties, including Jackson, Williamson, Jefferson, Franklin, Perry, Saline, Union, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Hardin, Gallatin, White, Hamilton, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Pulaski, and Alexander. Eligibility requirements are broader than many people expect, and many residents qualify without realizing it. Space in the first cohort is limited. Residents interested in learning about eligibility requirements or future training dates can visit mantracon.org/ceja or call 618-428-4460.
The CEJA Workforce Hub program is funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.