Councilman Marcus Brown Hired By Park City Wind To Coordinate Workforce Development

City Councilman Marcus Brown, who had served as an employment relations specialist with Workplace, has been hired as a workforce coordinator by Massachusetts-based Vineyard Wind selected by the state to partner with McAllister Towing and Transportation Company, operators of the city’s ferry service, to redevelop Barnum Landing, an underutilized 18.3-acre waterfront industrial property on Seaview Avenue in the East End.

News release:

Vineyard Wind, the company bringing the Park City Wind project to Bridgeport, today announced that Marcus Brown has been hired as the Workforce and Local Content Coordinator for Connecticut. Mr. Brown, who also currently serves as City Councilman, is joining the company after serving as an Employer Relations Specialist at the Workplace, Inc., the largest workforce development organization in the Northeast. His first day was January 4, 2021.

“We’re thrilled to bring Marcus on board as we look to implement the training programs that will help us to build out this new, cutting-edge industry,” said Jennifer Cullen, Manager of Workforce and Supply Chain Development. “From planning and construction to operations and maintenance, the offshore wind industry is going to create thousands of jobs that need to be filled with properly trained people. Marcus will help us to make sure that we connect as many local residents as possible with those new employment opportunities.”

Brown, a product of the Bridgeport Public School system, has strong roots in the community and a passion for public service.

“The Park City Wind project is a tremendous opportunity for Bridgeport and the region, and I’m proud to join the team at this early stage,” said Mr. Brown. “Vineyard Wind needs a well-trained workforce to fill these jobs of the future, and I know that local residents are ready, willing and able to help launch this new industry.”

First elected in 2017, Brown currently serves as a Councilman for the 132nd District (West End/West Side) of Bridgeport and serves in the role of President Pro Tempore. As chair of the School construction committee, Brown has pushed for eco-friendly school construction and incorporating clean energy to power parts of the schools.

Brown brings to this role a professional background in job training, employer relations, and working with underserved communities such as veterans, youth, second chance, and long-term unemployed individuals to secure employment.