Manager, Energy Efficiency Ameren Illinois Collinsville, Illinois
The Ameren Illinois utility provides funding to Community Action Agencies (CAA) to weatherize low-income households. The Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies (IACAA) conducted a Capacity Survey with all thirty-five (35) agencies to determine their current and expected future state of capacity for weatherization production.
Agencies need assistance finding qualified applicants. Agencies need additional funding to hire and train office staff due to high turnover, retirements, and the COVID-19 pandemic labor crisis.
The findings were confirmed by Walker-Miller Energy Services during Discovery Sessions held with twenty-two (22) agencies in the Ameren Illinois territory. Based on these findings, program leadership recommended that the Ameren Illinois utility sponsored CAA Weatherization program identifies, hires, and trains qualified and dedicated program staff to assist agencies. The proposal consists of supplement staffing pilots in three (3) phases: Phase I utilizes existing cross-programmatic staff to provide additional assessment and inspection capacity. Phase II utilizes a partnership with IACAA and involves the recruitment and hiring of program staff to provide additional short-term capacity to select agencies. Phase III utilizes a partnership between Ameren Illinois and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to develop a pipeline for permanent placement at agencies.
Learning Objectives:
By attending this session, attendees will:
Learn about the staffing challenges at the Community Action Agencies
Learn how Ameren Illinois implemented a short-term staffing pilot (Phase I and Phase II)
Understand how Ameren Illinois partnered with DCEO to develop Phase III of the staffing pilot and will implement a long-term internship program to develop a pipeline of qualified candidates
