SWORDS, Ireland — Trane Technologies is making a $1 million grant over three years to Goodwill Industries International to expand the Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator (GCTA), a national training program that helps job-seekers facing barriers to employment prepare for entry-level, high-demand careers in the growing clean-energy economy.
The GCTA is an intensive four- to five-week workforce development program that blends classroom instruction, hands-on lab training, and career coaching with direct connections to local employers.
To help address barriers that can prevent talented individuals from entering the skilled trades, participants also receive weekly stipends, personalized career navigation, and wraparound support services.
Trane Technologies’ funding will help five local Goodwill organizations expand skilled trades training in their communities, equipping nearly 500 participants with industry-recognized credentials and hands-on technical skills.
In its first year, Trane Technologies’ investment will support expanded cohort capacity and national instructor certifications for the HVAC and heat pump training pathway in Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina. In St. Paul, Minnesota, the investment will enable Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota to expand its existing solar training pathway to include HVAC and heat pump instruction and complete a dedicated hands-on training lab. In years two and three, the partnership will expand to three additional markets.
“The future of energy requires both breakthrough climate technologies and a highly skilled workforce ready to deploy and maintain them in communities around the world,” said Carrie Ruddy, Trane’s senior vice president and chief communications and marketing officer, in a press release. “We’re proud to partner with Goodwill Industries International to expand access to career training and pathways into critical skilled trades. Through this collaboration, we are opening doors to rewarding, long-term careers while helping build the workforce needed to support more sustainable homes, buildings, and communities.”
“Across the country, demand for clean energy and HVAC technicians is growing rapidly, yet too many capable individuals still face barriers to accessing those opportunities,” said Monique Baptiste, chief mission officer of Goodwill Industries International. “We are working to bridge that gap through the proven Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator, and our partnership with Trane Technologies will help expand our reach and impact. Together, we are equipping more people in our communities with the technical skills, credentials, and confidence to build family-sustaining careers in the growing clean energy sector.”
Since launching in 2024, the GCTA has reached nearly 1,000 graduate and has a 92% graduation rate. Hundreds of participants have been placed into jobs.
Trane Technologies’ support of Goodwill Industries International and the Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator aligns with the company’s 2030 Sustainability Commitments and its efforts to expand access to green and STEM education and career pathways that help prepare the next generation to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, the company said.
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