Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $7 Million to Prepare Workers for Careers in Clean Energy and Climatetech

Awards for 17 organizations throughout the state were announced at the Central Massachusetts Regional Clean Energy & Climatetech Workforce Summit

WORCESTER – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today awarded more than $7 million in grants to enhance workforce development in climatetech. Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Interim CEO Dr. Jennifer Le Blond announced the funding during the 2026 Central Massachusetts Regional Clean Energy & Climatetech Workforce Summit at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The summit brought together hundreds of employers, workforce boards, educators, trainers, and community-based organizations, all committed to addressing the pressing clean energy and climatetech workforce needs in Central Massachusetts.

MassCEC’s workforce development funding will support 17 organizations through four grant programs: Equity Training Implementation, Climate Critical Training, Equipment & Infrastructure, Climate Critical Underrepresented Business Support, and Student and Young Adult Career Awareness and Training. These grants will help local organizations expand inclusive training, career awareness, and business support for roles such as HVAC-R technicians, electricians, energy auditors, refrigeration technicians, EV charger technicians, and more.

“Massachusetts is leading the nation in clean energy and climatetech, and that leadership depends on a strong, skilled workforce,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These investments will connect residents across the state to good-paying careers while helping employers meet growing demand. We are building a clean energy economy that creates opportunity in every region and real jobs for Massachusetts workers.”

“Regional collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of our clean energy economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By bringing together key stakeholders in workforce development, we are strengthening talent pipelines and aligning training with industry needs. This is how we create lasting economic growth that benefits communities across the state.”

The summit focused on three strategic themes: building strategic connections, addressing critical workforce challenges in the region, and exploring resources and funding. Building on the success of MassCEC’s previous regional summits in Northeast and 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 clean energy and climatetech.

The climatetech sector in Massachusetts employs nearly 163,000 people. In Central Massachusetts alone, the sector provides jobs for more than 24,000 people, and employers continue to look for skilled personnel. Events like today’s summit drive the collaboration needed to expand and upskill the clean energy workforce, which remains crucial to transitioning to a clean energy economy.

“Building clean energy requires people with the skills to design, build, and maintain the systems that will power our communities for generations to come,” Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “These grants will expand access to high-quality training programs and help ensure that residents all around the state can participate in and benefit from clean energy.”

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration remains focused on opening more doors for untapped talent, providing meaningful career pathways, and growing a pipeline of diverse, skilled workers in the clean energy field,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones.  “These awards, and the workforce summit, highlights the collaboration necessary between government, employers, labor, education, workforce development, and the community.”

“These awards reflect an intentional statewide effort to build a clean energy workforce that reflects the diversity and talent of Massachusetts. These awards support practical, employer-informed training programs, critical equipment upgrades, and business development services that remove barriers to entry and advancement,” said MassCEC Interim CEO Dr. Jennifer Le Blond. “By investing in regional partnerships and scalable solutions, we are accelerating progress toward a more competitive and inclusive climatetech economy.”

Equity Workforce 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 more than $2.6 million:

• Action for Equity / Green Equity Partnership ($1,200,000) - to build on its Greater Boston incumbent worker training offerings in HVAC, electrical, and energy auditing.

• Action for Equity / Opening Doors to Inclusion ($250,000) - pilot a program connecting court-involved participants from Greater Boston with employers.

• Holyoke Community College ($455,000) - to continue refining and deploying clean energy workforce training programs across multiple sectors, including construction and electrical.

• Greater Lawrence Technical School ($150,000) - to complete a passive building lab and enhance clean energy teaching in several technical departments in the Lawrence region.

• Home Energy Efficiency Team Inc. ($450,000) - in partnership with the Geothermal Drillers’ Association to support training for new geothermal drilling careers statewide, with a training location in Framingham.

• Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges ($120,000) - to support increased coordination and industry-informed HVAC curriculum across the community college system statewide.

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. Seven grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling more than $2.6 million:

• Atlantic Resiliency Innovation Institute ($425,000) - to pilot a Coastal Field Technician Academy training program for coastal resilience and environmental careers.

• Built Environment Plus ($360,000) - to expand its incumbent worker training programs for building professionals with flexible online learning.

• Greater Lawrence Technical School ($600,000) - to complete a passive building lab and enhance clean energy teaching in several technical departments in the Lawrence region.

• Home Energy Efficiency Team Inc. ($750,000) - in partnership with the Geothermal Drillers’ Association, to purchase geothermal drilling equipment for training programs statewide.

• HomeWorks Inc. ($110,000) - to expand its Partner Academy and add training modules for Home Energy Specialists advancing to HVAC technician roles, focused on individuals statewide with training in Central MA.

• Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges ($120,000) - to support increased coordination and industry-informed HVAC curriculum across the community college system.

• Studio for High-Performance Design + Construction ($333,735) - to grow its program training trades instructors statewide in high-performance building skills.

Climate-Critical Underrepresented Business Support grants support the expansion of services through a regional “Hub and Spoke” model that offers a suite of baseline services designed to help underrepresented businesses become “business-ready” to bid successfully on clean energy procurements. Three grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling $749,618:

• Beacon Climate Innovations ($300,000) - to provide technical guidance and connect underrepresented businesses to community‑scale clean energy and resilience projects statewide.

• 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance, Inc. ($50,000) - to develop a regional plan supporting underrepresented businesses with readiness, growth, and advancement support, and procurement navigation for businesses in Western MA.

• Emerald Cities Collaborative ($399,618) - to help small businesses navigate Mass Save procurement and build capacity through technical assistance and contractor development statewide.

Students and Young Adults Career Awareness and Training grants provide direct funding and technical assistance support to organizations interested in career awareness and training programming focused on supporting students and young adults. Six grants were awarded to the following organizations, totaling more than $1 million:

• Browning the Green Space ($218,760) - to develop a clean energy career awareness program for Roxbury Community College and Holyoke Community College students and young adults.

• Project LEARN Inc. ($184,632) - to launch the Renewables Future Lab, a clean energy and technology program that equips Lowell youth with skills, exposure, and mentorship.

• Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction ($275,000) - to expand its vocational clean energy and high-performance building career awareness accelerator for high school students statewide.

• Center for Collaborative Education ($150,000) - to build cross-sector partnerships and employer-aligned climate education workforce pathway frameworks for future implementation across Massachusetts.

• EDC 413Works,Inc./ Springfield WORKS ($150,000) - to work in partnership with the Springfield Public Schools to develop a clean energy career awareness pathway.

• MassYouthInnoLab ($30,000) - to work in partnership with Worcester Public Schools and MassHire Central Workforce Board to plan a middle school clean energy career awareness program and framework.

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.

For more information about MassCEC’s workforce programs, visit masscec.com/workforce.

Statements of Support

“Massachusetts’ clean energy economy is creating real opportunities for workers and communities across our Commonwealth," said State Senator Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. "These investments help ensure that residents from every region and every background have the training, tools, and pathways needed to succeed in high-demand climate-tech careers. As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, I’m proud to support initiatives that strengthen our workforce, expand access to good-paying jobs, and position Massachusetts as a national leader in clean energy.”

“Investing in workforce development is essential to building a strong clean energy economy,” said State Representative Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development. “These grants will help connect organizations with residents to access the skills and training necessary for meaningful careers in the growing climatetech sector all while supporting our state’s climate goals.”

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, increase affordability, and secure long-term economic opportunities for the people of Massachusetts. Since 2010, MassCEC has awarded $990 million in programs and investments and attracted $3 billion in private and public funds.

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