Launchpad Connect: From Shakeups to Solutions - Delays, Commitments, EV Jobs & Celebrating Partners

Welcome to this month’s edition of our newsletter! We’ll use this space to share what we’re reading, thinking, and doing and to help you stay informed about what other movers and shakers are doing in the green workforce development space. This newsletter is a resource built for you, so let us know what topics you’d like to see more of and what resources would be the most helpful!

Inside This Month’s Edition

• The Green Workforce Brief: Job Risks, State Action, and the Road Ahead

• Job Spotlight: EV Charging Installer & EV Mechanic

• Launchpad Lookback: Cohort 3 Wrap-up & Speaking Engagements

• Launchpad Updates: Website's Partners and Alumni Update

• We Want to Hear from You: Share Events, Resources, & Opportunities

The Green Workforce Brief

Energy Shakeups: What’s Changing?

• 🔗 Clean Energy Jobs at Risk Nationally: A new Climate Power analysis warns that 60,000 jobs have been delayed and another 399,000 U.S. clean energy jobs — bulk of which are in GOP-controlled districts — are at risk due to ongoing legal and political attacks on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). New York is not immune to potential setbacks either, with 5,805 jobs in New York being lost or jeopardized.

• 🔗 Training Programs Face Job Market Bottlenecks: Workforce programs in New York are expanding, but graduates from some programs are struggling to secure clean energy jobs — especially in residential solar and building retrofit sectors. Better employer-workforce alignment and paid apprenticeships are urgently needed to close the gap.

New York Stays the Course on Clean Energy & Boosting Apprenticeships

• 🔗 Advocates Push to Protect Rooftop Solar: A bipartisan coalition of New York State legislators and clean energy advocates are urging the Public Service Commission to preserve current net metering rates for rooftop solar customers.

• 🔗 Capturing Clean Energy’s Economic Upside: A new RMI report shows New York is well-positioned to benefit from a projected $13 billion in savings and thousands of new jobs — if it continues to scale grid, renewable, and transmission investments.

• 🔗 Embedding Climate into Capital Planning: NYC’s newly released FY 2026 Executive Climate Budget includes a $3.5M investment in an Advanced Capital Planning program to embed emissions reduction and resiliency into early capital project development. The city is aligning infrastructure decisions with climate goals — offering workforce developers a preview of emerging green project needs.

• 🔗 Boosting Apprenticeships for Job Readiness: The White House put out an Executive Order to “prepare Americans for high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.” While we have to see how the Order gets implemented, the trend towards paid apprenticeships is a powerful tool that can help uplift individuals into the clean energy sector.

 TGL’S Clean Energy Industry Framework

Are you looking to understand how clean energy and workforce development connect? We’ve got you covered! Watch this short video, in which we break down The Green Launchpad’s Clean Energy Framework.

Clean energy careers span multiple sectors, segments, and systems, each playing a vital role in the green workforce. Our framework breaks it down into:

• 4 Key Sectors – Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Renewable Energy,
  Clean Transportation 

• 2 Major Verticals – Electric Systems & Thermal Systems

Every month, we’ll explore one key technology & system driving the clean energy transition and highlight the careers and skills shaping the future.

This Month…

We’re exploring the Clean Transportation sector, focusing on Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) system within the Transportation Electrification (“TE”) segment. BEVs — powered entirely by rechargeable batteries — are key to lowering emissions and improving energy efficiency in transportation. As the transportation industry transitions from fossil fuels, there’s growing demand for skills in battery maintenance, electric drivetrains, and charging infrastructure. Workforce programs that train for these roles can open doors to high-growth, future-ready careers in a more sustainable transportation economy.

2 Sample Career Pathways in Battery Electric Vehicle

• 🔗 EV Charging Station Installer

  • Job Description: Install and maintain EV charging stations by reading blueprints, connecting electrical wiring, and ensuring code compliance. Inspect and troubleshoot systems, perform routine repairs, and document all work. Prepare job sites by unloading materials and cleaning up after installations.

  • Certifications: No uniformly required certifications; however, most employers require a high school diploma (or equivalent) and most installer are electricians by trade. Some notable trainings and certifications include:

    • The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) offers a full overview of the EV Industry

    • The SAE International Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Technician Certification is validates the skills of EV Charger Installers

  • Career Pathway: Grow into roles like Supervisor Electrician, EV Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager, or Charging Station Sales Manager

• 🔗 Electric Vehicle Mechanic

  • Job Description: Perform routine and scheduled maintenance on electric vehicles, test drive vehicles and use specialized testing equipment to ensure safe vehicle operation, inspect electric vehicles for potential damage and troubleshoot for fixes, Review work orders and follow detailed instructions, document your work and communicate with customers and/or supervisors.

  • Certifications: No uniformly required certifications; however, most employers require a high school diploma (or equivalent) and many employers like to see vocational school training, a related associate’s degree, or previous on-the-job training. Some mechanics choose to progress their careers through National Institute for Automative Service Excellence — Light Duty Hybrid / Electric Vehicle Specialist 

  • Career Pathway: Grow into roles like EV Technical Instructor or EV Service Manager

Additional Resources:
NY EVs & Charging Careers  – Explore New York electric vehicles and charging career paths
EV Careers - Electric Vehicle Jobs Guide is as a comprehensive resource for exploring diverse career opportunities in the electric vehicle industry

Launchpad’s April Lookback

April was a month of meaningful connections and momentum for our team! We concluded Cohort 3 of our Accelerator program and had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders at several key events, including Clean Energy Connect hosted by the Green Economy Network, 2025 Getting to Zero Forum hosted by NBI, Building Realty Institute Member Recap of the Westchester Clean Energy Action Conference, and the LatinX in Sustainability event. Here are some snapshots from April!

Launchpad Updates

Coming off a high-energy April, we’re channeling that energy into a new initiative: celebrating our partners! This month, we’ve updated our website to spotlight some of the incredible organizations and partners that have helped shape our work. Visit our website for a closer look at the growing ecosystem behind The Green Launchpad.

 Call for Information

Help us keep the TGL community informed and connected! We're looking for sponsorships, resources, events, trainings and more to feature in upcoming newsletters.

• Want to contribute to a thriving green workforce ecosystem? We're seeking corporate and philanthropic partners to help expand our impact in green workforce development. Sponsor our Accelerator to empower workforce professionals, strengthen the clean energy talent pipeline, and showcase your leadership in the green economy!

• Do you have an upcoming training, class, event, or webinar you want to share with the ecosystem for the next edition?

• Want TGL to amplify what's happening or roles you’re hiring for at your organization?

📧 Email us at [email protected] or reply to this email!