Governor Pritzker Announces Investment to Create More Than 1,000 Solar Jobs on Chicago’s South and West Sides

Chicago (CBS) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced a new $30 million Climate Works investment to support clean energy jobs on the South and West Sides of Chicago.

The investment is intended to build a clean energy workforce while creating job opportunities in low-income communities. It aims to create more than 1,000 solar jobs over the next three years.

“From day one of my administration, I have worked with stakeholders and the General Assembly to put green jobs at the center of our economic revitalization,” Pritzker said.

The state is committing to providing solar job training in partnership with the Chicago-based 548 Foundation, a nonprofit focused on public housing development and energy modernization.

“Climate Works will provide participants with the direct, practical resources they need to build a career in clean energy,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker announced the plan at the Fillmore Linen Service plant at 4144 W. Fillmore St. on the city’s West Side. The healthcare linen supplier will be the latest commercial building in Chicago to be powered by solar energy — with solar panels and technology installed.

The man behind these soon-to-be-installed solar panels — and the upcoming training of more than 1,000 new employees — is AJ Patton, founder and CEO of the 548 Foundation.

“The climate crisis is hitting low-income communities hardest,” Patton said.

Patton believes that partnering with the state is about more than just providing sustainable job opportunities.

“Historically, when new technology has come to market, underserved communities have not had access to those economic opportunities,” he said.

The goal is to promote economic justice in Chicago neighborhoods most impacted by climate change.

“We created this platform for exactly that purpose — to serve as a bridge to train people to be able to access these jobs,” Patton said.

When the investment was called the next step in the state’s renewable energy plan, Governor Pritzker was asked about his goal Climate and Equal Workplaces Act—which assumes that by 2050, Illinois will have 100% of its energy coming from clean energy.

“I think we have a good chance of getting there by 2050, and that’s what this bill is all about,” Pritzker said. “We’re in one of the best positions to get there. Let’s start with the fact that 53% to 54% of our energy already comes from a clean energy source — and that’s our nuclear reactors.”