__
Welcome to this month’s edition of our newsletter! Here, we’ll share what we’re reading, thinking, and doing—and help you stay informed about what other movers and shakers are doing in the green workforce development space. This newsletter is designed as a resource for you, so let us know which topics you’d like to see more of and what resources would be the most helpful!
Inside This Month’s Edition
The Green Launchpad Turns Two! ✌️
Two years ago, The Green Launchpad was just a conviction and a hunch. The conviction: that pursuing a sustainable career should be within reach for anyone who wants one. The hunch: that we can make that a reality by building bridges between workforce organizations and the clean energy industry directly through capacity and coalition building. I'll be honest, there were plenty of early mornings with my head in my hands, wondering if we were building something people actually needed.
Thankfully, you told us over and over that we are! We've now run five Accelerator cohorts, equipped 100+ workforce professionals across 40+ organizations, brought 11 leading employers to the table (repping 2,400+ clean energy workers), and launched public tools so that ecosystem intelligence is a standard, not a privilege.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. The real magic has been the people. Working at the intersection of climate, workforce, and career development is tricky terrain, and no one can hold all of it by themselves. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you to our partners, our alumni, our customers, and our team. You're our partners-in-crime in every sense, and I'm so grateful you're on this journey with us.
We're just getting started — and I can't wait to keep growing together.
With double the gratitude,
Angela & the Launchpad Team
🚀 Launchpad Updates
Train the Trainer Program Launch: The Green Launchpad is launching a new Train the Trainer Program exclusively for our Accelerator alumni organizations. Participants will become certified to deliver our Clean Energy Career Exploration (CECE) course, equipping their organizations with the curriculum, resources, and licensing needed to train jobseekers and expand access to clean energy career pathways in their own communities.
🎥 Watch Angela’s introduction of the training
👉 Interested in participating? Contact [email protected] to learn more and to reserve your organization's spot.
Employer Workforce Toolkit: Energy Efficiency (NYC Edition): NYCETC and we are thrilled to announce the official launch of our toolkit! Informed by more than 22 hours of employer convenings, this practical resource covers three high-demand entry-level roles — Junior Energy Auditor, Project Coordinator, and Junior Field Technician — complete with ready-to-use hiring guides, job descriptions, onboarding checklists, and more.
👉 Access the Toolkit here — and help us spread the resource with your employer and workforce partners!
Launchpad Exchange — a new EXCLUSIVE webinar series for Accelerator Alumni: We're introducing a new bi-monthly alumni engagement opportunity. Each virtual session will feature ecosystem stakeholders spotlighting training programs, career pathways, employer needs, and emerging topics in clean energy sectors, green manufacturing, AI, and data centers.
👉 Sign up for our first session on July 30th at 12:00 PM EST with a focus on Energy Efficiency!
City Council Hearing — Green Economy Action Plan: On June 26th, our Founder and CEO Angela N. Son testified at the New York City Council hearing on the Green Economy Action Plan, making the case that workforce development isn't just a pipeline issue — it's a business competitiveness issue. Angela called on the City to invest in sustained employer-provider partnerships, fund intermediaries that translate employer needs into training, and measure success by retention and advancement, not just enrollment.
Welcoming our Summer 2026 Interns!: We're excited to welcome Kailynn Williams and Michael Chen to The Green Launchpad this summer! As our new Strategy & Operations and Data & Digital Product interns, they'll support our mission to strengthen workforce development programs and expand pathways into clean energy careers.
🔍 Career Highlight
Are you looking to better understand the connection between clean energy and workforce development? We’ve got you covered! Watch this short video for a breakdown of The Green Launchpad’s Clean Energy Framework.
Clean energy careers span across multiple sectors, segments, and systems — each playing a vital role in the green workforce. Each month, we’ll spotlight one key sector, segment, or system driving the clean energy transition and highlight the careers and skills shaping the future.
This Month…
We’re launching a new series exploring Policy & Nonprofit Careers in Clean Energy— a diverse set of roles that help shape, advance, and implement the policies, programs, and partnerships driving the clean energy transition. From advocacy and public policy to community engagement, research, and program implementation, these careers are essential to accelerating equitable clean energy adoption across sectors. These roles are cross-cutting, supporting progress across all four sectors of The Green Launchpad's Clean Energy Framework.
Our first focus area, Advocacy & Policy, highlights professionals who influence legislation, regulatory decisions, and public investment to support a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
2 Sample Career Pathways in Advocacy and Policy
Conservation Advocate
For the passionate organizer who wants to turn environmental priorities into meaningful action. Conservation Advocates build coalitions, shape campaign strategies, engage policymakers, and mobilize communities to advance clean energy and environmental protection. By combining policy knowledge, strategic communications, and grassroots organizing, they help drive lasting change for people and the planet.
Climate Policy Analyst
For the curious problem-solver who wants to shape climate action through research, analysis, and public policy. Climate Policy Analysts evaluate environmental programs, analyze climate data and regulations, and help develop policies that reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience. Whether supporting legislation, reviewing environmental impacts, or informing agency decisions, they play a key role in turning climate goals into actionable policy.
🙌 Launchpad Community Updates
CEWD Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium Launch: The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) has officially launched the Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium (NEWC), bringing together leading energy employers across the Northeast to strengthen the region's energy workforce. Led by National Grid, NYPA, and Eversource, the consortium will collaborate with educators, workforce organizations, and industry partners to expand career pathways and build the skilled workforce needed to support the Northeast's growing energy demands.
NYC’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory Webinar: On July 15, Urban Green Council, in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ), will host a free webinar exploring the NYC Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Learn how the City calculates building emissions, tracks progress toward its decarbonization goals, and why local emissions data can differ from regional and national estimates.
NYPA Nuclear Energy Workforce Training RFA: The New York Power Authority is seeking qualified NYS-based training providers — including community colleges, technical high schools, trade associations, and others — to develop and deliver nuclear energy technical training, hands-on experience, and job placement support. Applications are due July 31, 2026 by 5 p.m. EDT.
BlackRock Future Builders RFP: Jobs for the Future is administering this $25 million first round of a $100 million philanthropic initiative to expand access to skilled trades training across the U.S. Applications are due July 10, 2026 by 11:59 p.m.
🏛️ Policy Brief
NYSERDA and DPS Advanced Nuclear Policy Options Paper: NYSERDA and DPS released a joint policy paper evaluating how New York can support the development of 5 GW of new grid-scale advanced nuclear power.
Brooklyn Museum $48 Deep Energy Retrofits: DCAS, NYPA, and the Brooklyn Museum announced a comprehensive retrofit of the century-old institution — expected to cut building emissions by 3,300 metric tons annually and serve as a model for greening NYC's historic public buildings.
Champlain Hudson Power Express Goes Live: North America's longest fully-buried transmission line began delivering Canadian hydropower to NYC on June 1st, with the 1,250-MW line expected to supply up to 20% of the city's electricity needs.
