State invests $50M to expand clean energy workforce

ALBANY | Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the expansion of New York State's clean energy workforce commitment with $50 million in new funding to prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The new Clean Energy Career Pathways Training and Technical Skills Training and Upskilling programs are part of a $320 million commitment for clean energy workforce development and training and provide funding for projects that develop career pathways training, upskilling, and reskilling initiatives for new and existing workers. Today's announcement builds on the State's leadership in growing the clean energy industry and will help expand access to family-sustaining jobs to support New York's clean energy transition, including in underserved areas of the state. "Washington Republicans' assault on renewables won't stop New York from continuing our nation-leading clean energy progress," said Gov. Kathy Hochul. "These investments underscore our commitment to preparing New Yorkers for the good-paying jobs of tomorrow – all while driving down energy costs for families statewide." New York remains a national leader in renewable energy with more than six gigawatts of solar power installed ahead of time across the state and the nation's first large offshore wind farm, South Fork Wind, delivering affordable and reliable clean electricity. New York's other two offshore wind projects under construction, Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind, combined are expected to provide 10 percent of the New York City and Long Island electric load, complementing the Champlain Hudson Power Express, or CHPE, which later this year will start bringing clean hydropower from Quebec to New York City. New York's energy policies and investments have continued to catalyze the clean energy transition, fueling significant jobs growth across the state. The 2025 New York Clean Energy Industry Report showed continued steady clean energy job growth in New York State with 184,000 workers employed at the end of 2024. This represents an increase of approximately 6,000 jobs, with New York's clean energy economy attracting an average of $6 billion in public and private investments annually between 2022-2024, the largest three-year average since tracking began in 2016. These new clean energy workforce training programs will help counteract preliminary industry studies for 2025, which show the negative impact of recent federal policy actions on the national energy workforce, with direct implications for working New Yorkers and the state economy more broadly. NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "NYSERDA is helping prepare New Yorkers to fill high-demand careers that are essential to meet the needs of today's clean energy economy. These programs provide hands-on training that will help build an in-state workforce to strengthen our energy independence, and contribute to a more reliable, affordable energy system." The Clean Energy Career Pathways Training and the Technical Skills Training and Upskilling programs are competitive solicitations, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). These programs provide funding to eligible entities for curriculum development, training equipment purchases, and technical training delivery in the areas of energy efficiency, building electrification, renewable energy, energy storage, smart grid, electric distribution and transmission and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Selected projects will build on the success of NYSERDA's Workforce Development Program, which has supported the training of more than 40,000 New Yorkers between 2018 and 2025. CLEAN ENERGY CAREER PATHWAYS TRAINING PROGRAM Through this program, NYSERDA has made $30 million available for initiatives that provide clean energy technical training, career preparation, wraparound services, and job placement to prepare individuals for entry-level clean energy careers. Applicants are encouraged to partner with other entities as helpful to ensure a comprehensive proposal. Eligible applicants, or applicant teams, must demonstrate previous success in preparing trainees for jobs, administering support for job preparedness and placements, and conducting technical training. Selected projects will receive between $250,000 and $1.5 million. For projects to be eligible, 50% of individuals trained must be from designated priority populations or disadvantaged communities (DAC), as defined by New York's Climate Justice Working Group. Projects that exclusively serve individuals from disadvantaged communities and/or priority populations, as well as projects that meet program requirements for New York State certified Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), will benefit from a reduced cost-share requirement. Applications for the Clean Energy Career Pathways Training are accepted at designated funding deadlines until November 23, 2027. Applications under the first funding round are accepted until May 20 at 3 p.m. ET. TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING AND UPSKILLING PROGRAM Additionally, $20 million is available for training initiatives that will develop and improve the technical skills and knowledge of existing clean energy workers as well as students in post-secondary education programs and New York State Education Department (NYSED)-approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs such as credit bearing college courses and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services training programs for high school juniors and seniors. Eligible applicants include technical training organizations, professional associations, and other entities with experience delivering clean energy technical training. Selected projects will receive between $75,000 and $500,000 through two categories of funding: (1) delivery of existing training, and (2) development and delivery of new training. Projects that train more than 50 percent of individuals from disadvantaged communities or priority populations will benefit from a reduced cost-share requirement. Applications for the Technical Skills Training and Upskilling Program are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis dependent on funding availability until Sept. 30, 2030, at 3 p.m. ET. NYSERDA will host informational webinars on the Technical Skills Training and Upskilling and Clean Energy Career Pathways Training programs on April 7 at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively. Additional information, including registration, can be found on NYSERDA's website. These new programs support the State's efforts to grow the clean energy industry and expand job opportunities and are a part of NYSERDA's $320 million commitment for clean energy workforce development and training, which prioritizes benefits to priority populations and disadvantaged communities. Additional information about NYSERDA's portfolio of workforce development and training programs can be found on its website. Funding for these initiatives is provided through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Additional funding is provided through the New York State Public Service Commission's 2025 Energy Efficiency and Building Electrification Order, which funds statewide market development programs from 2026 through 2030.

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State invests $50M to expand clean energy workforce

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