Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $7.3 Million to Prepare Workers for Climatetech Careers

Awards for 25 organizations throughout Massachusetts were announced at the Northeast Regional Clean Energy & Climatetech Workforce Summit

DANVERS, Mass. – Today, the Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded more than $7.3 million in grants to enhance workforce development in climatetech. Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Emily Reichert made the announcement during the 2025 Northeast Regional Clean Energy & Climatetech Workforce Summit, which was hosted in collaboration with GE Vernova Foundation at Essex Northshore Agricultural and Technical School in Danvers. The summit brought together hundreds of employers, workforce boards, educators, trainers, and community-based organizations, all committed to addressing the pressing clean energy workforce needs in Northeast Massachusetts.

MassCEC’s workforce development funding will support 25 organizations through three grant programs: Equity Planning & Capacity, Equity Training Implementation, and Climate Critical Workforce Training, Equipment & Infrastructure. These awards will support local organizations working to build inclusive training pipelines and expand access to climatetech careers.

“We are laying the foundation to bring more energy into Massachusetts with every apprenticeship, training program, and new job created. Massachusetts’ clean energy workforce has doubled over the past 15 years, and we’re accelerating that growth,” said Governor Maura Healey. “As a national leader in innovation, we know that real progress depends on a workforce that’s skilled, inclusive, and prepared to lead. These investments will help workers open the doors to good-paying careers and ensure every community has access to the economic opportunities of the clean energy transition.”

“The clean energy economy is growing fast, and we need to make sure people across Massachusetts can take part in that growth,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Today’s summit shows how powerful local collaboration can be. Together, we’re building training pathways that are not only relevant and responsive but also rooted in the needs and aspirations of our communities.”

The summit focused on three strategic themes: empowering the next generation of workers, enhancing training capacity for in-demand jobs, and creating opportunities for cross-industry collaboration. Building on the success of MassCEC’s first regional summit in Western Massachusetts, this event is part of the agency’s broader effort to establish a statewide Climate Corridor. This initiative leverages the unique strengths of each region to position Massachusetts as a leader in climatetech.

The clean energy sector in Massachusetts employs over 115,000 people. In the Northeast region alone, more than 11,642 people work in the sector, and demand for skilled personnel continues to grow. Events like today’s summit drive the necessary collaboration to expand and improve the clean energy workforce, which is crucial for reducing pollution in the region.

“A trained, diverse energy workforce keeps our homes warm and our businesses running,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “This summit and these grants ensure we’re not just creating jobs—we’re preparing people to succeed in them.”

"To grow the clean energy sector, we need to scale training solutions that meet people where they are,” said MassCEC CEO Dr. Emily Reichert. “The Northeast region is a model for how local stakeholders—educators, employers, community leaders—can come together to close gaps and build lasting opportunity. With today’s awards, we’re investing in the workers and infrastructure that will power the clean energy transition.”

“Massachusetts is not just preparing for a clean energy future; we’re building one. These investments by MassCEC will empower workers across the Commonwealth, especially those from historically underrepresented communities, to access good-paying, future-ready jobs in climatetech and clean energy,” said State Senator Jacob Oliveira (D-Ludlow), Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “This is exactly the kind of workforce development we need to meet our climate goals and ensure economic opportunity for all.”

Equity Planning & Capacity grants help organizations design or expand programs through funding and technical assistance focused on staffing, partnerships, curriculum, and support services. 16 grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling $1.5 million:

• Black Economic Council of Massachusetts ($140,000) - Funds will be used to hire a full-time Climate and Sustainability lead to support BECMA’s sustainability hub in Roxbury, MA. The hub will be used to support MWBEs as they transition to the green economy through workshops, educational events, and programming for various clean energy-related industries.
• My Sister’s Child ($130,000) - Funds will be used to launch a welding pilot program for at-risk young adults focused on building essential skills for careers in welding. The program will provide hands-on training and safety protocols on industry-standard equipment.
• Action for Equity ($75,000) - Funds will be used to build upon A4E’s Green Equity Partnership program by establishing the Green Equity Cohort Support program, which will assist participants with gaining new certifications, networking, and support for toxic work environment issues.
• Benjamin Franklin Cummings Technical School ($50,000) - Funds will be used to develop a short-term sustainable facilities maintenance program, in partnership with Jewish Vocational Services, that will train justice-involved individuals and other underrepresented populations.
• Emerald Cities Collaborative ($50,000) - Funds will be used to support ECC’s development as either a Hub or Spoke in the MassCEC ecosystem. They will identify and address the gaps in their current service offerings and yield a roadmap for new partnerships and effective expansion plans into specific geographies or new target populations.
• Browning the Green Space, Inc ($50,000) - Funds will be used to develop a program to support alumni from ACCESS, a business training bootcamp. BGS intends to build capacity through connection to technical assistance providers and by hiring a program manager to support new resources and support for participants.
• Afro-American Workforce Development Group ($39,573) - Funds will be used to fill the HERS rater training gap in Western MA by connecting underrepresented job seekers with clean energy jobs mentoring, hands-on training, and employment.
• Amplify LatinX ($38,000) - In partnership with BECMA, funds will be used to support MWBEs in climate-critical fields. ALX intends to conduct a needs assessment and stakeholder outreach to identify challenges that MWBEs face.
• Action for Boston Community Development ($100,000) - Funds will be used to establish GreenCORE, a regional clean energy jobs clearinghouse integrated with the state network of MassHire Career Centers. ABCD will build out the partner network and career center through a participatory planning design process that identifies how to connect job seekers with employers in the clean energy industry.
• Building Pathways ($150,000) - Funds will be used to expand access to Building Pathway’s pre-apprenticeship program by launching an evening training cycle. This initiative is designed to increase opportunities for individuals who are unable to attend daytime sessions, including those with full-time employment, caregiving responsibilities, and members of other underrepresented populations.
• Community Labor United ($50,000) - Funds will be used to support the framework development of CLU’s Equitable Pathways to Work program, which aims to assist residents from underrepresented communities who are interested in pursuing careers in the building trades by guiding them through the union apprenticeship application process.
• Cultivate Pathways ($149,810) - In partnership with Forge, funds will be used to develop a pre-apprenticeship training program for multilingual, early-career participants in Lynn. This formalized collaboration aims to reduce barriers to entry for multilingual individuals seeking careers in the high-demand clean energy HVAC/R and heat pump installation sectors.
• Greenfield Community College ($150,000) - Funds will be used to conduct a pilot project aimed at designing and launching a Train-the-Trainer Academy which will recruit and prepare four clean energy trades instructors for teaching roles within the community college system.
• Northeast Home Energy Rating System Alliance ($149,998) - Funds will be used to hire additional case management staff to provide participants with ongoing career development support. Case managers will provide in-house interview preparation, resume building, job placement assistance, and other wrap-around services.
• Aspire Training and Development ($27,060) - Funds will be used to design a high-impact clean energy career awareness and exploration program, targeting Western MA, and focused on preparing underrepresented populations for careers in the HVAC, Energy Auditing, and Weatherization Technician fields.
• Community Labor United ($100,000) - Funds will be used to support CLU's Care That Works initiative, a coalition of unions and community-based organizations dedicated to improving access to equitable childcare for workers pursuing training or employment in non-standard hour, climate-critical jobs.

Equity Training Implementation grants fund the launch and growth of training pathways into high-demand climate-critical roles, especially for residents of Environmental Justice communities and other underrepresented groups. Six grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling $3 million:

• Just a Start ($850,000) - Funds will be used to develop a solar skills training program that will couple online training, in-person classes, certification attainment, and hands-on practice in the Just A Start Solar Laboratory to prepare participants for careers in the solar sector.
• MassHire Metro North Workforce Board ($584,000) - Funds will be used to develop a regional consortium to establish a workforce development pipeline for HVAC-related career pathways. This initiative will offer pre-vocational English and math classes, various training options, and job placement services.
• HomeWorks Energy ($497,026) - Funds will be used to expand HWE’s new-entrant training program, HomeWorks University, which provides upskilling opportunities for weatherization technicians. This funding is blended with concurrent funding awarded as part of the Climate Critical Workforce Training Equipment and Infrastructure grant program.
• Transform Power Solutions ($425,535) - Funds will be used to refine TPS’s Workforce Hub program, which is designed to help professionals transition into clean energy careers by providing technical training, leadership skills, and environmental justice awareness.
• Self-Reliance Corporation ($378,125) - In partnership with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Community Development Corporation, funds will be used to develop career opportunity awareness and basic training programs to support members from Federally recognized and State-acknowledged Tribes in obtaining placement in solar projects on tribal land.
• Greater Boston Joint Apprentice Training Center with IBEW Local 103 ($352,000) - Funds will be used to expand the organization’s Clean Energy Pre-Apprenticeship Program, which provides participants with career readiness training, career navigation and coaching, direct clean energy career exposure through field trips and tours, and hands-on training.

Climate-Critical Workforce Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure grants support the purchase of essential equipment and facility upgrades that enhance training capacity and help more Massachusetts residents access and advance in clean energy careers. Eight grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling $2.7 million:

• HomeWorks Energy (Upskilling incumbent workers) ($331,351) - Funds will be used to expand HWE’s new-entrant training program, HomeWorks University, which provides upskilling opportunities for weatherization technicians. This funding is blended with concurrent funding awarded as part of the Equity Training Implementation grant program.
• HomeWorks Energy (Equipment/Infrastructure) ($176,000. Funds will be used to support the development of two additional classroom spaces for training and the addition of relevant HVAC training lab equipment, such as a heat pump with an air handler. This funding is blended with concurrent funding awarded as part of the Equity Training Implementation grant program.
• Ithaca Clean Energy ($599,046) - Funds will be used to develop a workforce upskilling program to improve the placement of frontline marine fisheries workers and underrepresented groups in Greater New Bedford into offshore clean energy jobs.
• MassHire Metro North Workforce Board ($584,000) - Funds will be used to develop a regional consortium to establish a workforce development pipeline for HVAC-related career pathways. This initiative specifically targets residents of Environmental Justice communities by offering pre-vocational English and math classes, various training options, and job placement services.
• Northeast Home Energy Rating System Alliance ($117,682) - Funds will be used to enhance NEHERS’s Equity Workforce and Climate-Critical Training funding for Home Energy Raters by purchasing in-the-field training equipment, such as Blower Door units and Duct Blasters.
• Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction ($597,347) - Funds will be used to enhance the organization’s existing skills-building training program, High-Performance Building for Carpenters, which is designed for current carpenters, construction supervisors, and insulation workers.
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy ($310,000) - Funds will be used to upgrade MMA’s existing refrigeration laboratory by installing decarbonization training equipment and building a wind test lab for wind turbines to support the training, design, and testing of wind power.

These investments build on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Massachusetts Workforce Agenda and reinforce the state’s leadership in equitable clean energy job creation. As workforce demand accelerates, MassCEC will continue to convene stakeholders, fund solutions, and drive regional strategies to ensure the clean energy transition delivers broad-based economic opportunity.

MassCEC’s growing workforce development portfolio includes the following programs: Clean Energy Internship Program, Workforce Equity Programs, Climate Service Corps, Climate-Critical Workforce Grants, Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network, and Offshore Wind Works Program. For more information on MassCEC’s workforce programs, visit masscec.com/workforce.

About the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy and climatetech sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits, and secure long-term economic opportunities for the people of Massachusetts. Since 2010, MassCEC has awarded nearly $800 million in programs and investments and attracted more than $2.8 billion in private and public funds.

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