Creating the Pipeline: How Lifelong Climate Education Addresses Massachusetts' Clean Energy Workforce Goals
Massachusetts has set ambitious climate goals, and meeting them will require tens of thousands of clean energy workers and roles that don't yet exist at scale. Building that pipeline starts in the classroom.
Join education leaders, funders, and climate advocates for a solutions-focused panel exploring how intentional climate education at every stage of life, from early childhood through career advancement, can build the workforce Massachusetts needs. Hosted as part of Boston Climate Week 2026, this conversation will trace the full learning continuum and identify where coordination and investment can turn today's students into tomorrow's clean energy professionals.
What We'll Cover
Panelists representing each stage of the education pipeline will explore:
Why foundational nature connection in early childhood matters for long-term climate engagement
How climate-contextualized curriculum keeps middle and high school students on a pathway to clean energy careers
What higher education institutions are doing to close the gap between academic preparation and employer expectations
Where workforce training and professional development fit for career changers and working adults
Panelists
Dr. Patricia Fabian, Associate Director at the Institute for Global Sustainability at Boston University
Jason Gorman, Founder & CEO, JackRabbit LX
Jennifer Applebaum, Managing Director, Workforce Development at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
Margaret Wang-Aghania, Cofounder & Executive Director at SubjectToClimate
Who Should Attend
This event is for you if you're a...
Workforce development or education organization - Learn more about funding opportunities and programming from MassCEC
Philanthropy or policy professionals- Get a clearer picture of where the talent pipeline is getting stuck, where the entry points are for supporting people looking into clean energy careers, and where investment can have the most impact.
Educators - Hear how teachers across disciplines and grade levels are making climate relevant in their classrooms, and leave with tools for your next lesson.
Students - See what the clean energy career landscape looks like in Massachusetts, and what paths exist for getting there.
About the Hosts
Jackrabbit LX is a Boston-based learning experience design consultancy that helps organizations build more effective training and education programs, including workforce development work in the clean energy sector, and convenes learning professionals around the ideas shaping the future of our field.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits and to secure long-term economic growth for the people of Massachusetts.
The Institute for Global Sustainability is a university-wide research center convening more than 115 faculty across Boston University with expertise in natural sciences, engineering, public health, communication, social science, and more. The Institute’s research areas are planetary and environmental health, climate governance and sustainability transitions, and energy systems of the future, with an approach grounded in equity and justice, robust data analysis, and real-world impact.
SubjectToClimate is a free platform with teacher-designed lesson plans, curated resources, and professional development opportunities to enable all K-12 educators to easily integrate climate change into what they already teach.
By registering for this event, you agree to share your registration information with the organizers of Boston Climate Week