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New statewide training network will prepare more than 500 learners for in-demand clean energy jobs while strengthening Massachusetts’ workforce pipeline
CANTON, Mass. – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $13.4 million in awards to 13 Massachusetts community colleges through the Mass Clean Energy Center’s new Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network. Supported by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), this initiative will help community colleges establish or upgrade training centers, expand capacity, and provide students with the resources they need to enter the workforce.
The announcement was made at Massasoit Community College, one of the 13 institutions receiving funding. The Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network will open pathways for more Massachusetts residents to pursue in-demand careers such as heat pump and HVAC mechanics and technicians, while helping employers meet growing workforce needs. The initiative is expected to support at least 500 additional learners and drive long-term growth through investments in infrastructure and equipment.
“We need a strong pipeline of energy workers to help keep our homes comfortable and lower energy bills,” said Governor Maura Healey. “By investing in HVAC and heat pump training programs, we’re making sure Massachusetts has the skilled workforce needed to meet growing demand and creating lasting economic opportunity in every corner of the state.”
“Community colleges are one of the most effective resources we have for connecting people to real opportunities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “They open doors at every stage of a career and provide the training that employers depend on. These investments will strengthen that foundation and help more Massachusetts residents access well-paying, in-demand jobs.”
Beyond funding, Mass Clean Energy Center will ensure program quality and consistency through the development of a universal heat pump curriculum, a shared instructional framework, and contextualized English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) resources. Together, these efforts represent a coordinated, statewide push to expand training capacity, improve program quality, and create accessible pathways into clean energy careers for Massachusetts residents.
“We need training that keeps pace with how the energy industry is evolving,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “These grants give community colleges the tools to deliver hands-on, modern instruction that prepares students for the work happening today and what’s coming next.”
“The Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network is focused on what happens after the investment—more trained workers and closer alignment with employer demand,” said Mass Clean Energy Center CEO Ben Downing. “By pairing funding with a shared approach to curriculum and training, we’re helping to build an integrated system that can better support our workers and a clean energy future.”
“As Massachusetts continues to see record heat pump adoption, we’re proud to partner with MassCEC and our community colleges to provide career pathways to good-paying HVAC jobs,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “Through hands-on training, state-of-the-art equipment, curriculum development, and tuition support, we are growing our clean energy workforce and ensuring residents and businesses across the Commonwealth can enjoy modern, clean heating and cooling systems.”
“Students are most engaged when they can see the connection between what they’re learning and a career path that interests them,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “This investment by the Healey-Driscoll Administration is another example of how we’re creating more opportunities for students to find in-demand and rewarding jobs, while also helping to grow the local workforce and promote clean energy.”
“Massachusetts community colleges are proud to play a central role in building the state’s clean energy workforce. Through the Heat Pump and HVAC Network, our colleges are not only expanding training capacity, but also aligning programs with industry needs to ensure consistent, high-quality pathways across the Commonwealth,” said Nate Mackinnon, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges. “We are grateful to MassCEC for their partnership and investment in this coordinated, statewide approach.”
The thirteen community colleges to receive funding are:
- Berkshire Community College: $1,188,635
- Bristol Community College: $1,199,694
- Bunker Hill Community College: $1,130,000
- Cape Cod Community College: $1,250,000
- Greenfield Community College: $810,000
- Massasoit Community College: $555,000
- MassBay Community College: $1,200,000
- Middlesex Community College: $1,250,000
- Northern Essex Community College: $1,105,455
- North Shore Community College: $1,069,431
- Quinsigamond Community College: $824,556
- Roxbury Community College: $1,079,472
- Springfield Technical Community College: $809,989
For more information about MassCEC’s workforce programs, visit masscec.com/workforce.
Statements of Support
“Investing in our community colleges means investing directly in our workforce and our economy. These programs create real pathways to good-paying, in-demand jobs while helping Massachusetts meet its clean energy goals," said State Senator Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. "For communities across Western Massachusetts and the Commonwealth, this is about more than training; it’s about expanding opportunity, strengthening our workforce pipeline, and ensuring we’re prepared for the energy systems of the future.”
“I appreciate the administration’s continued focus on aligning workforce development with emerging industry needs. By investing in modern training infrastructure and supporting our community colleges, we are preparing the next generation of skilled labor to meet the demands of a clean energy economy,” said State Representative Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “The future of skilled trades in Massachusetts is strong, and this initiative helps ensure it sustains and thrives.”
“Massachusetts is investing in the next generation of mechanics and technicians through the Clean Energy Center’s new Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network at thirteen community colleges across the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education. “This program will expand opportunities for students and ensure we have the clean energy workforce we need. I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for its ongoing commitment to our public higher education system, and to the Mass Clean Energy Center for its leadership in advancing a cleaner, greener Massachusetts.”
“Among many other roles, our great community colleges serve as vital resources for highly specialized job training,” said State Representative David Rogers (D-Cambridge), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education. “Through investment in training programs, like the Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network, and establishing new pathways to employment, we empower our students to acquire the skills necessary for success in the workforce.”
About the Mass Clean Energy Center
The Mass 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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