Maryland Energy Administration Funds Maryland Center for Global Wind Organization Safety Training

Baltimore, MD – Today, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) announced $400,000 in grant funds to help expand offshore wind workforce training programs in the State. Funding for the grant award comes via MEA’s Maryland Offshore Wind Workforce Training Program, which supports new and existing workforce training centers that are expanding into the industry. 

“Supporting offshore wind workforce development initiatives will help Maryland establish a local supply chain in the State,” said Mary Beth Tung, Director of MEA. “Having a strong and trained workforce and establishing a supply chain in the State will help Maryland solidify itself as a regional hub for offshore wind development in the mid-Atlantic.”

The $400,000 MEA grant will help the Arcon Training Center in Salisbury become the first training center in Maryland to offer the Global Wind Organization (GWO) Basic Technical Training Standard by completing the certification process for training providers. In addition, the grant will help Arcon expand the capacity of its existing GWO Basic Safety Training Standard. Arcon is currently one of two training centers in Maryland that offers (or will offer) the GWO Basic Safety Training Standard. 

“This is such an honor. Arcon Training Center has been delivering training in preparation for the Offshore Wind Industry since 2015. We have trained welders, metal fabricators and recently we have expanded into the GWO Basic Safety Training,” said Katarina Ennerfelt, CEO of Arcon Training Center. “To now get the opportunity to further expand into the GWO Basic Technical Training is a real win for this whole region. This new grant through MEA is making sure that we have the funds needed for this expansion. We are so grateful for the opportunity and so excited for the future of jobs in the Offshore Wind industry.”

Maryland’s goal is to have 1,568 MW of offshore wind capacity operational by 2030, which could generate up to 10% of all the electricity consumed in the State. Maryland has already approved 368 MW of projects slated to be operational by 2026 and will complete a second round of offshore wind projects by the end of the year.   

The next cycle of this program will be announced in fall 2021; for more information on this program or other MEA programs, please visit Energy.Maryland.gov. 

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The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) advises the governor and general assembly on all energy matters, promoting affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy. MEA develops and administers programs and policy to support and expand all sectors of the state’s economy while benefiting all Marylanders and implementing legislation. Please visit Energy.Maryland.gov and follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for more information.