MIDDLEBURY — A Vermont non-profit organization called ReSOURCE, which has offices in Burlington, Barre and Hyde Park, is bringing its six-week, hands-on “Weatherization 101” training to Middlebury this summer. This six-week training starts July 1.

The course provides:

• Hands-on experience with weatherization and construction tools and techniques.

• The opportunity to earn OSHA 10 certification.

• Full-time job placement in the weatherization and construction industry for work-ready candidates. 

The goal of this program is to provide training and job placement to Vermonters ready for full-time employment in the trades. Tuition is free to trainees, who also earn $500/week training stipend. The classes will meet Monday – Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 

Detailed information and an online application can be found at resourcevt.org/training-programs/weatherization-101. 

What You’ll Learn

Weatherization:

Learn the principles of home-energy efficiency and building science.

The curriculum follows the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Installer/Technician guidelines.

Have hands-on practice in the weatherization techniques of air sealing, foam and cellulose insulating, proper ventilation, and moisture barrier setup.

Carpentry & Construction:

Students will have hands-on experience with:

• The proper and safe use of construction hand and power tools.

• Common construction and weatherization vocabulary and job-site rules.

• Construction math, jobsite safety, construction drawings and blueprints.

• Each student will be equipped with the necessary tools of the trade, and will learn to work collaboratively with others accomplishing projects.

• Class time will be split between seminar-style training and hands-on building and weatherization projects.

Professional Development:

Working together with ReSOURCE’s employment counselor, students will:

• Explore careers in the weatherization and home-energy fields.

• Develop a weatherization-specific resume.

• Build job-searching and job-retention skills.

• Fine-tune their interviewing abilities.

• Meet with hiring weatherization employers.

OSHA 10 Jobsite Safety Certification:

Students have the opportunity to earn:

• OSHA-10 certification — an essential certification for anyone entering the profession and one valued by employers.

Work Experience and Job Placement:

For the final two weeks of the program, work-ready participants will be placed in on-the-job work experiences with hiring employers. The Employment Counselor works individually with students to find a job placement that meets their individual needs and professional goals.