The Fastest Path Isn’t Always New, It’s Fixing What Exists

While emerging technologies continue to capture attention, weatherization and building performance upgrades remain some of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon emissions.

Air sealing, insulation improvements, HVAC optimization and duct sealing can dramatically reduce energy consumption without requiring large-scale infrastructure changes. These upgrades deliver immediate energy savings, improve indoor air quality and comfort, and reduce utility burdens, particularly for low-income households. At the same time, they create local jobs that cannot be outsourced. In many ways, weatherization represents a rare intersection of climate action, public health and economic development.

A Massive Talent Gap Across the Skilled Trades

The challenge is not just technical, it is human. There is a growing shortage of trained professionals needed to execute energy efficiency work at scale, and that shortage spans multiple trades.

From HVAC technicians and energy auditors to electricians and insulation crews, the demand for skilled labor continues to outpace supply. This is not a niche issue; it is a systemic bottleneck. Even the most well-funded programs cannot succeed without a workforce capable of delivering the work in the field.

This is where alignment between training and real-world demand becomes critical. As Laticia Holbert, Senior Manager, Workforce Development, explains from her work at ComEd, an electric power utility serving the Chicagoland and Northern Illinois area, “While many workforce programs emphasize credentials and course completion, placement outcomes depend just as much on what happens after graduation.”

She points out that training timelines often fail to align with contractor hiring needs and active project pipelines, creating friction between supply and demand. In response, ComEd has shifted toward a “placement-first mindset,” where success is defined not by certificates, but by sustained employment in energy careers.

Where Workforce Programs Often Fall Short

Despite increased investment in workforce development, many programs struggle to create lasting outcomes because they focus heavily on training individuals without strengthening the businesses that employ them.

Contractors are the backbone of implementation, yet many face operational challenges that limit their ability to hire and retain talent. These include cash flow constraints, onboarding capacity and administrative burdens tied to program participation.

Holbert emphasizes that solving this issue requires a broader approach. “Even when trained workers are available, many small and mid-sized contractors face real operational challenges when it comes to hiring, onboarding, and retaining talent,” she notes.

Through initiatives like its Market Development Initiative, ComEd pairs workforce training with contractor readiness, offering on-the-job training support, assistance with certifications and clearer pathways to market participation. This integrated model is designed to support that contractors not only have access to talent, but also the confidence and capacity to hire.

The takeaway is clear: workforce development cannot stop at the individual level. It must extend to the systems and businesses that ultimately determine whether jobs materialize.

Removing Barriers for Workers Is Just As Critical As Training Them

Workforce development efforts often assume that training alone is enough to drive participation. In reality, many individuals face practical barriers that prevent them from entering or remaining in the workforce.

Transportation challenges, child and elder care responsibilities, and financial instability during training periods all significantly impact participation and retention. These barriers are not secondary; they are central to workforce outcomes.

Holbert reinforces this point, stating that “workforce participation is most often limited by practical barriers like transportation, childcare, housing stability and short-term financial pressures—not technical ability.”

At ComEd, addressing these challenges is not optional. The organization incorporates stipends, transportation assistance, flexible scheduling and partnerships with community-based organizations to provide wraparound support. Programs that incorporate these types of supports are seeing stronger placement rates and improved program completion.

As Holbert puts it, “From a workforce development lens, if we expect people to show up consistently, perform safely and stay in physically demanding jobs, we have to acknowledge the realities of their lives.”

Breaking Down Silos Across Workforce Systems

Another persistent challenge is fragmentation. Workforce development efforts are often spread across utilities, community-based organizations, training providers, contractors and government agencies, each operating independently.

While each entity may be effective on its own, the lack of coordination creates inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Holbert’s approach highlights the importance of alignment—designing programs that are employer-led, market-responsive and connected across the full workforce ecosystem.

This means working backward from contractor demand, aligning training timelines with real job opportunities and ensuring that participants move seamlessly from education into employment.

A Moment of Opportunity

The convergence of federal investment, climate goals and rising energy costs has created a unique opportunity to rethink workforce development.

Energy efficiency has the potential to reduce emissions at scale, lower energy costs for millions of households and create stable, high-quality careers in the skilled trades. But achieving that potential requires more than training programs alone.

It requires a shift toward systems that are coordinated, employer-driven and designed around real-world barriers. As Holbert’s work at ComEd demonstrates, the path forward is not just about building a workforce—it’s about building an ecosystem where workers and contractors can succeed together.