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Knoxville Area Urban League partners with TVA to train local contractors, community

August 22, 2019

The Knoxville Area Urban League has partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to set up weatherization work opportunities for local contractors with initial training scheduled for this Friday and Saturday.

The eScore Minority Contractor Training Program is a workforce training initiative to expand TVA’s certified contractor base for weatherization with a focus on minority-owned businesses and workforce individuals.

The Knoxville Area Urban League and Tennessee Valley Authority are working together to recruit contractors and members of the local community who are interested in gaining skills and experience in air sealing, attic insulation, duct sealing and HVAC services, as well as soft skills training.

The training for contractors will be held at the Knoxville Area Urban League’s headquarters,1514 E. 5th Ave., over two days on Friday, Aug. 23, from 3-9 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 24, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Instructors will demonstrate how to properly weatherize homes, reducing residents’ total energy costs while improving their health and safety. Training will be provided by Tennessee Urban League Affiliates (TULA) from Chattanooga. Contractors must attend both sessions.

The training for individuals in the community, also to be held at the Knoxville Area Urban League’s headquarters, will be done over three days, Sept. 9-11, from 4-7 p.m. Individuals must attend all three sessions.

At the end of this first phase of training, contractors will receive $500, and individual workforce participants will receive $200. Interested contractors need to have been in business for a minimum of one calendar year and have a valid business license. Individual participants only are required to have a commitment to learn.

After finishing the first phase, contractors and individuals must complete technical training in phase two, the dates of which will be announced later. After completing both phases, contractors and individuals will be eligible to become certified for TVA’s Quality Contractor Network.

For additional information about training opportunities, please call the Knoxville Area Urban League at 865-524-5511.

About the Knoxville Area Urban League

Since 1968, the Knoxville Area Urban League has assisted disadvantaged people attain social and economic stability and self-sufficiency through direct services and advocacy. The League works to provide a skilled and diverse workforce; to increase homeownership; to support economic and small business development, and to enhance education efforts for our youth. The Knoxville Area Urban League is a United Way partner agency and affiliate of the National Urban League. The League’s work and results are evident in the lives of the over 8,000 people it impacts each year. For more information, call 865-524-5511 or visit www.thekaul.org.