The Challenge: Create an Offshore Wind Workforce

While offshore wind projects in southern New England are navigating near-term challenges, MassCEC remains committed to supporting projects currently under construction and positioning the Commonwealth to be well situated for the industry when headwinds curtail. Through this RFP, MassCEC seeks to prepare and advance Massachusetts' current and future offshore wind workforce to ensure a qualified, well-trained, safe and equitable workforce to plan, build, operate, and maintain offshore wind projects into the future. Offshore construction activities have been underway in the region since 2022, and sustained offshore workforce readiness remains essential to the success and reliability of these projects.

About Offshore Wind Works

By supporting a network of training providers, academic institutions, community-based organizations and more, Offshore Wind Works (OSWW) is expanding the Commonwealth’s capacity to develop a Massachusetts workforce that can plan, deploy, operate, and maintain offshore wind farms in southern New England, as well as support the manufacturing of offshore wind components and its related supply chain. OSWW provides support for other types of workforce development projects, including training programs, career awareness programs, programs with equity and inclusion elements, and studies related to workforce development or worker safety in the offshore wind industry.

Who's Eligible

Applicants may be an individual company, organization, or institution, or may be a team of such entities. Applicants are encouraged to engage with, partner with, and/or demonstrate support from the offshore wind industry, including developers and other companies, and/or Massachusetts-based training or educational providers with existing programs. The lead applicant must fall into at least one of the following categories:

• A community-based nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status and located in Massachusetts
• A public government entity
• An accredited Massachusetts school
• An accredited Massachusetts higher education institution offering two- or four-year degrees
• A local labor union
• An established private workforce training provider or other private company doing business in Massachusetts in partnership with an organization, entity, school, institution, or union that falls under one of the categories listed above.