Powering the Future
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) recently issued $13.4 million in grants to 13 Massachusetts community colleges to expand career training programs in clean energy fields.
Greenfield Community College (GCC) was awarded $810,000, and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) received $809,989, both to launch and expand workforce training in HVAC and heat pump technologies, creating new career pathways in the growing clean energy sector.
MassCEC’s latest heat pump and HVAC training grants will benefit students at Greenfield Community College and other institutions.
Meanwhile, Holyoke Community College (HCC) was awarded $455,000 through a different MassCEC grant program to continue and refine its clean energy career training programs.
“Massachusetts is leading the nation in clean energy and climatetech, and that leadership depends on a strong, skilled workforce,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “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.”
Beyond funding, MassCEC 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,” Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper said. “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.”
“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.”
MassCEC CEO Ben Downing added that “the Heat Pump and HVAC Training Network is focused on what happens after the investment — more trained workers and closer alignment with employer demand. 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.”
Heating Up
Jayshawn Brown, a student in HCC’s solar tech training program, works on a solar panel installation project at Dean Technical High School.
GCC’s grant will provide its division of Workforce Development with funding to train 40 students in HVAC skills. It is anticipated there will be two cohorts of entry-level HVAC training and two cohorts of incumbent worker heat pump training; each cohort will include up to 10 students.
Across the state, this program, supported by the Department of Energy Resources, aims to train 500 additional HVAC workers to meet the Commonwealth’s growing demand for clean heating and cooling systems. Greenfield Community College will use this funding to continue training programs for new HVAC technicians as well as work with local employers to provide heat pump installation and maintenance training for their current workforce.
“This funding allows us to continue to offer a full range of HVAC and heat pump training through our Workforce Development division, creating excellent opportunities for residents to enter and advance in clean energy careers,” said Kristin Cole, vice president of Workforce Development at GCC. “With these programs, we can address the urgent needs of local employers and equip our community with the skills necessary for success in a sector that supports both economic growth and clean energy.”
Since launching the HVAC training program in fall of 2024, GCC has graduated 27 individuals from the program with several industry certifications; 85% of those graduates are currently working in the industry. On May 29, the third cohort of students will graduate and transition into employment or paid internships with local employers. This new grant will fund training for additional students.
“We are building a pathway that supports our community, meets employer needs, and connects workforce training to college and long-term economic growth.”
Meanwhile, STCC’s funding supports a comprehensive clean energy training strategy centered on high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and modern heat pump technologies.
Through six workforce development programs, STCC will provide Springfield residents and regional workers with free, hands-on training aligned with employer demand, industry certifications, and the Commonwealth’s clean energy goals. Together, these programs prepare both entry-level learners and incumbent workers for employment, advancement, and credential attainment in a rapidly changing workforce.
Gladys Franco, assistant vice president of Workforce Development at STCC, noted that “we are building a pathway that supports our community, meets employer needs, and connects workforce training to college and long-term economic growth.”
The initiative strengthens STCC’s existing HVAC and energy systems programs while creating a flexible workforce training model that helps participants quickly gain skills, credentials, and access to employment opportunities. The program also creates a pathway into STCC’s associate degree programs in energy systems technology and building automation.
MassCEC funding has made it possible for STCC to launch and scale six targeted training programs that would not otherwise be available. Investments in lab upgrades, modern equipment, and instructional delivery are significantly increasing training capacity, expanding access for underrepresented populations and accelerating entry into clean energy careers. Meanwhile, the college is working closely with MassHire, regional employers, and community-based organizations to support recruitment, training, and job placement.
The Next Phase
At HCC, the MassCEC grant will pay for two free training programs for up to 30 individuals: introductory training in construction, electricity, and clean energy systems in the fall of 2026, and a solar installer/electrical pre-apprenticeship program in the spring of 2027.
HCC piloted both programs in 2025 after receiving a $1.42 million grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education for climate-related workforce training initiatives. The new award is part of a $7 million allocation in clean energy and climatech grants announced last month by the Healey-Driscoll administration.
“The first grant was really to design, develop, and essentially figure out what would work in our market,” said Kermit Dunkelberg, HCC’s assistant vice president of Adult Basic Education and Workforce Development. “Now, we’ll not just be continuing, but refining these programs to achieve even stronger outcomes.”
The MassCEC grants will support 17 organizations through four programs: Equity Training Implementation; Climate Critical Training, Equipment, and Infrastructure; Climate Critical Underrepresented Business Support; and Student and Young Adult Career Awareness and Training. They are designed to help local organizations expand inclusive training, career awareness, and business support for jobs such as electricians, solar technicians, HVAC-R technicians, energy auditors, refrigeration technicians, and EV charger technicians.
“Through our programs and partnerships, students are introduced to building trades unions — in particular, the electrical workers union and carpentry union — as well as solar installer and electrical apprenticeship opportunities.”
HCC was the only community college in Massachusetts to receive a dedicated grant, while the Massachusetts Assoc. of Community Colleges, a consortium of all 15 community colleges in the state, received $120,000 to support HVAC programs across the community college system.
HCC’s key partners in the grant are Holyoke’s Dean Technical High School, where the clean energy training classes meet, and solar industry companies PV Squared and SolaBlock. Other partners include the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board, the Coalition for Equitable Economy, Springfield Works, Browning the Green Space, and the Entrepreneurship & Business Collaborative.
“Thanks to these grants, we’ve been able to connect students to career pathways that can be very challenging to get into,” said Mary Wagner, HCC’s Workforce and Economic Development training manager. “Through our programs and partnerships, students are introduced to building trades unions — in particular, the electrical workers union and carpentry union — as well as solar installer and electrical apprenticeship opportunities.”
Since 2025, HCC has run the introductory clean energy program three times, the solar tech program once, a weatherization program two times, and recently introduced an Introduction to Manufacturing and Clean Energy Applications pilot program.
“These programs are creating opportunities for underserved populations,” Dunkelberg said. “It’s not just opening the pathways, but reaching deeply into the community to create the access that’s been missing.”
