LOWELL – The Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) is proud to announce it has been awarded a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) planning grant to design a pioneering Climate Service Corps workforce development program. This initiative aims to create career pathways in sustainable building operations for young people aged 18 to 24, with an emphasis on residents of the Acre neighborhood and low-income areas across Lowell.
“This grant enables us to invest in the future of the young people in the Acre and our community at large” said Dan Rivera. “By preparing the next generation for climate-critical careers, we’re not only opening doors to good-paying jobs, but also ensuring a healthier, more sustainable Lowell for all. We are excited about launching a program at a time when the Commonwealth is making a concerted effort to invest in affordable and public housing that lowers energy for low-income families while improving comfort and air quality right here in the Acre”
For more than four decades, CBA has led efforts to empower residents and revitalize neighborhoods through affordable housing, economic opportunity, and community-driven action. Building on its legacy CBA’s new Climate Service Corps promises to be a transformative step toward a cleaner, more equitable future.
The CBA Climate Service Corps will focus on educating and training young adults in building science fundamentals and sustainable building operations, with a curriculum designed to meet the urgent needs of Massachusetts’ affordable and public housing sector. As these housing systems make the critical transition to all-electric operations, skilled professionals will be required to ensure buildings run at peak efficiency—reducing both energy costs and carbon emissions.
“MassCEC, as the state’s clean energy and climatetech economic agency, see value in innovative workforce program designs that target strategic sectors like affordable and public housing” said Emily Reichert, CEO of MassCEC. “As we invest in electrifying our affordable and public housing buildings to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, we see an opportunity to develop the next generation of building maintenance technicians who come from our environmental justice populations.”
The program will deliver a comprehensive 20-week training experience that integrates proven educational models and job readiness programming. In addition to building science, participants will develop practical skills in workplace citizenship, communications, and financial literacy. Upon completion, graduates will be equipped to pursue careers in fields such as Weatherization, HVAC, Building Automation Systems, Building Inspection, and Facility and Property Management.
Over the next six months, CBA will work closely with workforce development consultants and local partners to evaluate and incorporate leading educational programs into the final Climate Service Corps design. For more information about the Coalition for a Better Acre and its innovative workforce development initiatives, please contact Dan.rivera@cbacre.org or visit www.coalitionforabetteracre.org/
