Ask the Expert: Why is developing Vermont’s workforce important for energy efficiency?
Everyone wants a comfortable home that doesn’t waste energy. Everyone deserves work they can be proud of that earns a good income.
It can take a lot of work to get older homes weatherized and ready for efficiency upgrades. Vermont’s housing stock is some of oldest in the country, according to the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. That means a lot of homes and buildings that need work. And a big opportunity to cut their costs by using less energy.
But in Vermont, there simply aren’t enough people in the climate workforce to do this work. Or to fill these well-paying jobs.
Insulating and air-sealing older homes requires weatherization technicians, contractors, builders, plumbers, and electricians. Switching to clean technologies like heat pumps needs a workforce to install and maintain heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. In Vermont, this workforce is retiring faster than new workers are coming in. The 2023 Vermont Clean Energy Industry Report found 98% of employers struggle to hire these positions.
Will Schwartz knows how important these workers are. Climate workers report high job satisfaction and competitive pay. Training this workforce is also important for home and building owners who need upgrades. Or for businesses looking to grow. These workers will also help Vermont meet its emissions goals. And they’ll help build up to 36,000 new housing units over the next five years to meet demand. Helping Vermont meet its workforce needs is why Will was hired as Efficiency Vermont’s first-ever Workforce Development Manager. We sat down with Will to learn about what it will take to advance Vermont’s workforce.
Will: I was a Civic Innovation Consultant in South Bend, Indiana for the last two years. My focus was on workforce development projects for the city. And across northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.
In South Bend, I co-designed and implemented the city’s first climate workforce programs. We started training workers in building trades and getting them industry certifications. The goal was to make the training accessible and to reach as many people as possible. The trainings were online and self-paced. Many of the course takers worked multiple jobs. Some were single parents, or didn’t have secure housing or reliable transportation. The program was designed so it could be done on their schedule. Many got their certification and were able to move into a more secure career. This work brought climate workforce development into the conversation in a significant way. It led to a $500,000 grant for climate workforce jobs in the city’s historically underserved communities. The grant also supported residential retrofit projects.
This shows the kind of resources needed to develop the climate workforce. And the help available from the federal government to support these jobs. The Inflation Reduction Act is another example. The law has incentives for clean energy construction projects. And for employing apprentices, updating HVAC systems, and making building upgrades. But Vermont first needs to build out its climate workforce to take this work on.
“This workforce is critical to getting our homes and commercial buildings to net zero emissions.”
Will: I call this the climate workforce because they’ll complete projects that help Vermont achieve its climate goals. Contractors or weatherization technicians are traditionally considered part of the building trades workforce. But these workers create energy efficient homes. They weatherize and update older buildings. They install efficient appliances and heating systems. They build new, efficient buildings. And they’ll maintain these buildings and systems for years to come.
Altogether, this workforce is critical to getting our homes and commercial buildings to net zero emissions. That means dramatically reducing emissions from heating and cooling our buildings by 2050. It also means weatherizing 120,000 households before the next decade. These are all targets under Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act. So, the climate workforce refers to any trade that helps our state reach those broader goals.
Will: Vermont needs to fill jobs throughout the climate workforce. There are many career pathways and opportunities to specialize. Weatherization jobs are key. A weatherization tech is a building trades crew member with training in weatherization. They have experience with air sealing, insulation, and related skills. Vermont also needs crew leaders, energy auditors, and general contractors. Plus HVAC technicians and quality inspectors. Vermont also needs instructors and teachers for all these trades.
Take the proposed career path for weatherization workers as an example. Efficiency Vermont and several partners identified the skills needed for each step along this path. It starts with a pre-apprenticeship program that helps young workers get a feel for these jobs. They cover building trades basics, like carpentry and building science. The next step is to work as a crew member and get hands-on experience. A crew member can move on to being a crew leader. That means managing a team doing this work. Workers can take that knowledge and become energy auditors. That means working with building owners on multiple projects. They explore ways to reduce energy use and meet their goals for the home or business. After gaining experience, many climate workers go on to start their own businesses. Experienced crew leaders or business owners can later become instructors. They’ll teach these skills to new learners.
Efficiency Vermont has partnerships across the state. The organization is in a good position to support workforce development due to the unique spot it occupies in Vermont’s climate ecosystem. It’s already working with contractors, policymakers, trainers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders. Efficiency Vermont has also contributed to workforce development efforts in the past. My role here is to support collaborations that are already happening. And to focus our collective efforts on achieving shared goals. That’s already leading to progress. Like a shift toward a statewide Talent Pipeline Management framework.
“Contractors often need support to find good workers. That's why it’s important to get the word out. They need to see how they’ll benefit from this effort.”
Will: The TPM framework gets jobseekers into meaningful careers quickly and efficiently. The framework ensures all partners work together seamlessly.
The framework was established by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The “pipeline” is about collaboration. Between education and training providers, wrap-around services, and financial supports. They all move job seekers in the same direction. It's all to get the trained individuals to the employer efficiently. Already, the Vermont Talent Pipeline is used for jobs in manufacturing and healthcare. So, the TPM model is already a good fit for Vermont.
This framework is employer-led. I work with employers to build “employer collaboratives.” We explore specific jobs or market sectors, what jobs they have, and what skills they need. They help build out hiring projections for the next two or three years. Everyone starts speaking the same language about what they need. That's how this effort gets employer buy-in.
Will: My next step is talking with educators about these projected jobs and needed skills. This helps align their training with employer needs. This could mean tweaks to the curriculum. Or cutting out things that aren’t recognized by the industry. Sometimes, trainers can streamline their programs by weeks! This helps get those learners into jobs faster.
This all happens thanks to our partners like Vermont’s Regional Development Corporations. This work also engages trade associations. Groups like the Vermont Construction Association or Efficiency Vermont’s Efficiency Excellence Network (EEN). Existing contractors often need support to find good workers. That's why it’s important to share the TPM framework and get the word out. They need to see how they’ll benefit from this effort, so it’s a process of continuous engagement.
Will: Wraparound services are community-based organizations that support people going through these programs. They “wrap around” other programs to fill gaps that may be barriers for participants. These are often things like:
- Housing: This can mean paying for a hotel when people travel for training. Or helping learners find stable, affordable housing so they can pursue career opportunities.
- Childcare: You can’t work if you don’t have childcare. Vermont Adult Learning is one example. They provide a stipend to help pay for childcare during their training courses.
- Transportation: Getting to and from training can be a barrier. Stipends are one way to help learners afford travel costs. It’s important these come as up-front payments, and not reimbursements or rebates. People can get boxed out of programs if they can’t afford the transportation costs to take part.
- Financial subsidies. This can be direct payments to the learners for their time spent in training courses. Workers can’t afford to take off a day—let alone a week—to do training that isn’t required. These subsidies also help employers who can’t afford to take their crew out of the field unless it’s required. Those costs take a huge toll on a small business, which is why these subsidies are important.
In the program I ran in South Bend, the first iteration had a pretty low level of participation. The program offered rebates, but costs were still a barrier. To get folks in the door, we invested in our learners and paid their course and exam fees upfront. We also partnered with other wraparound programs. They offered further support to reduce barriers. After the change, our numbers skyrocketed. Getting people through the program is another challenge. But you have to get them in the door.
“Figuring out how to work with these providers is important. It’s the only way to ensure this climate workforce transition is equitable and just.”
Will: Everyone involved is eager to get this going as a statewide program. But we also recognize that there are significant barriers for many Vermonters. These efforts are working toward a just workforce transition. That means considering diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all program aspects.
First, this work is being divided up regionally. The needs of Northeast Kingdom employers may be different from Champlain Valley employers. Aligning with Vermont’s five existing Weatherization Assistance Programs can help. They already provide critical services like weatherizing homes. In most cases, these organizations are also well-connected with Community Action Agencies. They offer wraparound services and support for people training in the climate workforce.
Another important equity component is something I call barrier breaker programs. These programs work specifically with underserved and overlooked populations. They help job seekers into meaningful careers. There’s a lot of great work being done already in Vermont to break down these barriers. Programs like Vermont Works for Women’s Trailblazers program. They help get women into building trades careers. Another is the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV). They can offer case management and support services. Working with these providers is important to ensure the climate workforce transition is equitable and just.
Given Vermont’s low population growth, engagement is critical for making progress. There just aren’t many new workers coming to Vermont. Our programs have to work for the people who are already here, no matter their age or experience. It’s the only way to get the workers we need into the climate workforce.
Will: Like having housing, childcare, and transportation, Vermont’s climate workforce is part of the foundation of our state.
These jobs mean a lot to Vermont’s economy. The climate workforce is about 18,000 jobs right now. But Vermont needs to train thousands more.
These are skilled jobs for all levels of experience and education. They offer competitive pay and are always in demand. Climate workers can also feel proud about supporting projects right in their communities. These workers will also be part of a larger effort across the country to deliver energy justice. This means helping to ensure everyone can benefit from the increased comfort and savings of an efficient home.
These jobs also stimulate local economies, attract new businesses, and spur investment. One analysis found Vermont would see $6.4 billion in net benefits for achieving our climate goals by 2050.
It will take a lot of work to reach those goals. That’s why we’re building the workforce needed for the decades ahead. Now is the time for Vermont to make it happen.