The CYES summer program focuses on empowerment through employment, training youth ages 15 to 22 to carry out free energy assessments in residential homes and outfitting them with energy- and water-saving accessories. The program – which began in 2000 as a summer activity for students at Berkeley High – now trains youth across six counties, employing them to outfit around 4,400 homes each year. Almost any home in the Bay Area can request a ‘Green House Call’.
The GETS program, established in 2009, is a 12-month pre-apprenticeship program that prepares adults for careers in construction, energy efficiency, and solar sectors. Currently, the program serves 80 participants a year through several small group cohorts. They’ve recently added an all-women cohort.
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