(The Center Square) – Virginia is putting $1.3 million in federal funding toward job training programs that help young people get into energy careers.
The money comes through the new SPARK Youth Workforce Pilot Program, run by Virginia Energy. It’s funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will support up to five local or regional projects, with grants of up to $500,000 each.
SPARK is short for Skilled Pathways for Advancement, Resilience and Knowledge.
The program is designed to connect Virginians ages 14 to 25 with paid work experience, career mentoring and certifications in energy-related fields.
It focuses on serving rural and low-income communities.
“Where energy goes, economic opportunity follows,” said Virginia Energy Director Glenn Davis. “With this investment, we’re not just preparing the next generation of Virginians for high-paying, high-impact careers—We’re building the workforce that will power Virginia’s economic growth for decades to come.”
The agency said SPARK is a response to rising demand for energy workers, particularly in fields like power generation, energy efficiency and grid modernization, since many of those sectors are expecting large numbers of retirements in the coming years.
Projects must include technical training tied to industry credentials, mentorship from energy employers, and wraparound support like transportation or life skills. Training should start as early as age 14 and lead to jobs, apprenticeships or further education.
Virginia Energy lists eligible occupations such as electrical line installers, substation technicians, solar photovoltaic installers, HVAC energy efficiency technicians and grid modernization roles like smart grid technicians.
Approved certifications include OSHA 10 and 30, NCCER-accredited training, EPA Section 608, LEED Green Associate and NABCEP solar credentials.
Applicants can include schools, youth organizations, workforce boards, nonprofits or any group with experience serving young people, according to documents.
Each proposal will be scored on impact, youth development approach, employer partnerships, innovation and how well it uses the funding. Projects must submit quarterly progress reports and track metrics such as number of students trained, certifications earned and job placements.
Applications are due by Sept. 26 and must be submitted electronically. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Selected programs will receive an initial 20% payment, with the rest reimbursed as benchmarks are met and expenses documented.
