To achieve the goals of the Focus on Energy program, Trade Allies need a recruitment and training strategy that increases their capability to deliver products and services. This requires leveraging training capacity across the technical college system, trades, and independent training programs. The Empowering Trade Allies for Building Efficiency and Electrification Research Project will help Wisconsin best deploy federal workforce funds and building electrification and efficiency incentives by interviewing Trade Allies, technical college training programs, independent training programs, apprenticeship sponsors, and workforce development programs to define needed training, hiring, and business development support.

Key Research Activities Include:

1. Trade Ally Interviews: Conduct interviews with Trade Allies providing building energy efficiency, energy management, energy auditing, insulation, air-sealing, plumbing, and HVAC services to define immediate and expected recruitment, hiring, and training needs.
2. Training Program Interviews: Conduct interviews with stakeholders representing available training, certification, and apprenticeship programs that support building efficiency and electrification workforce capacity with specific attention to gaps in service to high unemployment census tracts.
3. Stakeholder Engagement: Hold a collaborative stakeholder session in April 2024 to review outcomes and prioritize recommendations for Focus on Energy and the state of Wisconsin.
4. Summary Report: A final report will summarize the challenges and opportunities presented by the research to identify priority investments. The report will highlight recommendations for energy efficiency program offers to complement expected industry growth as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Researcher: Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)

Timeline: November 2023 - July 2024

Sector: Research

Get Involved: Share Your Insights

Are you a Trade Ally in the HVAC, air-sealing/insulation, or plumbing industries in Wisconsin? Do you represent a training, certification, or apprenticeship program supporting building efficiency and electrification workforce capacity in Wisconsin? We want to hear from you!

Your input in this project is important to support the delivery of funding coming to Wisconsin in 2024:

• $2.8 million for workforce development, specifically targeting HVAC, insulators, energy auditors, air sealing, electrification, and more.
• $149 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Energy Rebate program funds.

Your input in this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of the workforce needs and training program capacity in Wisconsin. Your perspective is invaluable as we conduct research to address workforce gaps and skillset needs in these crucial sectors.

Please fill out the intake form linked below to express your interest in being interviewed. Interviews can take place virtually or in-person and will take approximately 1 hour. We appreciate your contribution to shaping the future of these industries.

Intake Form