Three educational organizations were awarded a total of $1.2 million in grants to expand workforce training programs in energy efficiency and building systems.
The money came through the Maine Department of Energy Resources’s Clean Energy Partnership.
“These investments will strengthen career pathways, support local businesses and ensure Maine has the skilled workforce needed to meet growing demand for energy efficiency services across the state,” said Dan Burgess, the department’s acting commissioner.
The goal is to expand the heating, ventilation and air conditioning workforce and up-skill incumbent workers. The programs are expected to serve as many as 1,200 total participants, including new and existing professionals in the field, while supporting 60 local Maine businesses.
HVAC technicians
The Maine Community College System received $317,000 to expand the pipeline of HVAC technicians through career exploration, pre-apprenticeship and short-term workforce training. The system will also offer heat pump installation training for existing HVAC professionals.
Programs will be offered at four community colleges in Bangor, Auburn, Calais and Presque Isle.
Maine is experiencing “incredible demand” for increased residential energy efficiency, said David Daigler, the system’s president. The system will work with industry partners to offer no-cost short-term heat pump installer training andHVAC pre-apprenticeship training, allowing skilled workers to jump into jobs.
“Maine’s employers have been clear about what they need: job-ready technicians with strong mechanical skills, safety credentials, and experience with today’s energy-efficient systems,” said Dan Belyea, the system’s chief workforce development officer. “By expanding pre-apprenticeship pathways and heat pump installer certification across rural Maine, we’re helping employers grow their workforce faster while giving learners the skills, credentials, and connections needed to enter an in-demand field.”
Clean energy training
The Association of Energy Services Professionals was awarded $449,052 to provide training and industry certifications for new and incumbent workers through virtual learning, eight statewide webinars and six in-person hands-on training sessions.
“This grant expands access to clean energy training that supports Maine’s existing workforce and opens new pathways into high-quality careers,” said Jen Szaro, the association’s president and CEO.
Building trades
The Maine Labor Climate Council and affiliated unions and registered apprenticeship programs received $447,500 to collaborate with the United Technologies Center-Region 4, Union Construction Academy of Maine pre-apprenticeship and the Penobscot Nation to train HVAC technicians.
The unions will also provide up-skilling for incumbent workers, including HVAC technicians, HVAC contractors, home performance contractors, electricians and plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters and other building trades professionals.
The grant could help some union members start their own contracting businesses and grow by serving customers in the residential energy efficiency market, said Francis Eanes, executive director of the Maine Labor Climate Council.
“This award will provide training, certifications, and avenues for Wabanaki tribal members to become certified contractors in the energy efficiency workforce,” said Kelsey Flores, Wabanaki sustainable energy coordinator. “Continuing to strengthen the relationship with Maine-based construction trade unions is essential for connecting Wabanaki tribal members to pathways into union careers, while expanding their existing skills.”
Growing workforce
In 2024, as more home heat pumps were installed, the portion of Maine households reliant on heating oil fell to 50%, down from 62% in 2018 and over 70% in 2010, according to a news release.
In July 2023, Maine surpassed its goal of installing 100,000 new heat pumps two years early. As of December 2025, the number of heat pumps installed in Maine has now surpassed 180,000.
Maine’s clean energy workforce has grown to employ nearly 15,600 people, growing at a rate nearly twice that of the state’s overall workforce and contributing nearly $3 billion to the state’s economy, according to the state Department of Energy Resources. The energy efficiency sector accounts for over 9,000 jobs or nearly 60% of Maine’s clean energy workforce.
Funding for the awards was provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Training for Residential Energy Contractors program.
Gov. Janet Mills launched the Maine Department of Energy Resources in September 2025 to replace the Governor’s Energy Office.
