Job training part of streetlight replacement program

The city of Pittsburgh announced a three-pronged, $16 million program Tuesday to replace streetlights, reduce their brightness on the night sky and train workers for union jobs installing and caring for them.

The program, paid partially through American Rescue Plan funds, will replace 35,000 city streetlights with LED fixtures that are expected to be 40% to 50% more energy efficient, saving the city as much as $1 million a year in energy costs. The city also will install 15,000 lights in areas that don’t have them now.

The contractor for the program, Duquesne Light holding company The Efficiency Network, is developing and will fund training through the Pittsburgh chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute for construction staging and energy analysis for the project and with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for apprenticeships for seniors at Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education program at Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill.

Troy Geanopulos, CEO of TEN, said the details of the training are still being worked out but institute students will work with its subcontractors to stage equipment, verify data developed by the city and help conduct energy audits, which he described as a growing career option.

Mr. Geanopulos and institute CEO DeWitt Walton said the number of people trained through this part of the project hasn’t been determined yet.

“We have not finalized a number yet, but it will be significant,” said Mr. Walton, whose agency specializes in teaching trades to young Black people. “I think this is an exciting opportunity to engage in substantial work and build a career with family-sustaining wages.”

Additionally, apprenticeships will be offered to high school seniors through the IBEW Local 5 for inside electrical work and Local 29 for outside work.

Mr. Geanopulos said the program will either start in the second semester this year or at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

“It will be constant exposure to the trades for the senior class,” he said. “These are really terrific jobs that pay good union wages. It’s a great platform for building a career.”

Mr. Geanopulos conceded there’s a bit of self interest in offering the training because there is a shortage of qualified workers available.

“Oh, it’s terrible right now,” he said. “That’s why this is such a good program. [The streetlights] are going to touch every neighborhood and we think that will help us relate the training to people who live there.”

In addition to providing energy efficiency, the new lights will meet the goals of Mayor Bill Peduto’s “dark sky” legislation by reducing light pollution and the disruption of wildlife.

Installation of the new lights should begin next spring and take about 2½ years.