Pressley Delivers $300K in Direct Federal Funds for Green Jobs Program

June 6, 2022

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) today visited the college to deliver $300,000 in direct federal funding for the development of a Clean Energy Building Automation Systems associate degree program. Rep. Pressley was joined by students and community members for a roundtable discussion and press conference to highlight how the funding will allow students to receive the training needed to pursue good-paying jobs in the clean energy sector.

“I was thrilled to visit the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology campus this morning to celebrate the federal funding we secured to help launch the college’s new green jobs certificate and associate degree program,” said Pressley. “These federal dollars will help the college train the next generation—particularly our most vulnerable and lowest-income students—to combat today’s climate crisis while building a career in the growing and high-paying clean energy sector. I’m grateful to [President] Dr. Francis and the entire college community for their close partnership in developing this promising program, and I look forward to seeing these students preserve our planet and make our physical infrastructure more sustainable.”

“We were honored to have Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley host a roundtable discussion at Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology to highlight the potential of clean energy jobs and the economic opportunities available to our students and others that support sustainability,” said Dr. Aisha Francis, President and CEO. “As a minority-serving institution with students from across Greater Boston, we understand the economic opportunities connected to the high-demand, high-paying careers that align with a sustainable future and green jobs. From renewable solar and wind energy to green building technology to electric vehicles, the college is committed to ensuring the clean tech workforce of the future will be highly trained, career-ready, and diverse.”

Watch the recorded livestream of the event here.

Rep. Pressley secured the federal funding for the college in the government spending package that passed Congress and was signed into law by President Biden in March. In total, Rep. Pressley secured over $8 million for 10 community projects across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, capping off nearly a year of advocacy by Rep. Pressley and local leaders.

The college is a Minority Serving Institution that serves a student body with 74% students of color, 57% first generation college students, and students have an average household income of $23,800 upon entry. The new program will improve access to postsecondary education in the clean energy sector for these students, resulting in good paying jobs in a growing industry.

Read WBZ News Radio coverage of the event here: https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/2022-06-06-bfit-recieves-300k-grant-for-clean-energy-building-automations-program/

Watch the full press conference: