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Our mission is to support the offshore wind industry in the U.S. and advance the creation of high quality family sustaining jobs in this region. It is our core responsibility to enable the American workforce to participate in the development of offshore wind by providing the specific training needed to obtain industry recognized safety certifications. NOWTC, with its partner organizations, is committed to public education to enhance understanding about the offshore wind industry. We join coalition efforts to engage in a reasoned discussion with the public utilizing scientific data to promote renewable energy as a needed source of power. We support training initiatives such as apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship as well as training initiatives undertaken by Suffolk County Community College which will provide workforce opportunities for the community around us.
The National Offshore Wind Training Center, Inc. (NOWTC) is a not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York to prepare the workforce to safely engage in the offshore wind industry. The principal organizational goal is to deliver the training necessary for workers to achieve the Global Wind Organization (GWO) certifications, the industry standard of safe practices for working at sea.
In recognition of New York State’s historic transformation toward renewable energy, offshore wind developer Orsted committed $10 million in seed funding for the creation of NOWTC in Suffolk County. This followed NYSERDA’s selection of the developer’s 880 MW Sunrise Wind Project in 2019. Described as a new model of partnership between industry, labor and academia, the Center concept was memorialized in a memorandum of agreement endorsed by the following organizations which agreed to serve as the founding members of the Board:
- The Long Island Federation of Labor
- The Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties
- Suffolk County Community College
NOWTC established a management agreement with Maersk Training M/S, a subsidiary of the international shipping firm, A.P. Moeller Maersk A/S, which has launched offshore wind training facilities across the world. Maersk training provides the expertise and credentials to operate the training facility, including staff training, curriculum design and day to day services that include working closely with design professionals to ensure the facility meets GWO standards.
NOWTC’s supports the offshore wind industry by providing required GWO Basic Safety Training for construction crews and technicians, including sea survival, working at heights, manual handling, fire awareness and first aid. NOWTC also offers BST Refresher courses, API Rigging and Get Up Safely training. This essential training has made it possible for the American workforce to participate in the development of wind farms off the U.S. coast.
Matthew Aracich is President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties representing more than 65,000 tradesmen and tradeswomen belonging to 36 affiliated labor organizations. Mr. Aracich is a third- generation union member spanning mored than 106 yeards of family heritage. He began his career in construction as a commercial diver more than 40 years ago. In his previous career he served as the Business Manager/Financial Secretary of Heat and Frost Insulators, Local 12 located in New York City. He is strongly committed to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs as an aspect of workforce development in the construction trades.
Louis J. Petrizzo represents Suffolk County Community College, the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with an enrollment of more than 21,000 students. In December 2010, Mr. Petrizzo joined the College as its General Counsel. He was promoted to the position of Executive Vice-President/College General Counsel in December 2017. From January 2010 until June 2021, he served as the Interim President of the College. Prior to his association with the College, Mr. Petrizzo was elected and served a three-year term as a Suffolk Count Legislator. He served a two-year term as Town Attorney for the Town of Babylon on Long Island and was staff counsel for over a decade for a member of the New York State Senate. He then established his own private practice, where he provided legal advice to employers and engaged in the general practice of law.
For 17 years Roger Clayman served as the Executive Director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, the fourth largest labor council in the country. The local Federation is the voice of 250,000 union members and their families on Long Island. Mr. Clayman came to the Long Island Federation of Labor after a 30-year career with the National AFL-CIO where he was involved with organizing, political and collective bargaining campaigns around the country. He started his career in 1973 with the National AFL-CIO Department of Civil Rights. He has worked closely with the Building Trades on Long Island as well as partners in government and the community to establish a pre-apprenticeship program, Opportunities Long Island. He was instrumental in early talks with Orsted to bring GWO training to Long Island.
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