Former inmate exposes students to clean energy careers

The Energy Coordinating Agency trains more than 200 people each year as building analysts, solar panel installers, and commercial heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning technicians.

Inside a converted warehouse in one of Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods, students circle around Jackie Robinson as he quizzes them about a 1980s furnace. Although they’ll encounter older equipment like this, the program is cutting edge, aimed at training people to work on homes in ways that address climate change and make clean energy affordable.

More than 3.3 million people work in the clean energy industry and the number is growing fast. But Robinson, a building trades instructor, is concerned that’s not widely understood.

“A lot of low income people don’t even know these jobs exist . . . it’s all about getting the word out,” he said.

In addition to expanding an important workforce, solid career opportunities also reduce recidivism. Robinson’s own transition into the clean energy workforce and ultimately to this nonprofit, the Energy Coordinating Agency, came during his time in prison.