From Hiring Gaps to Career Pathways: Workforce Solutions for Contractors

Contractors in home energy performance and weatherization face ongoing challenges in finding and keeping skilled workers. Registered apprenticeships offer a proven, scalable strategy to recruit, train, and retain new talent while ensuring consistent quality and clear career pathways. This session, led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), will demonstrate how contractors can leverage apprenticeships and other resources to strengthen their workforce and support business growth. Attendees will learn how IREC’s Apprenticeships for Clean Energy (ACE) Network, supported by Invest in Our Future (IOF), is expanding energy efficiency apprenticeship opportunities across the country. The session will highlight available technical assistance to help contractors explore options, navigate program development, and connect with workforce partners. Importantly, participants will learn about IREC’s “Exploring Registered Apprenticeship Programs” course for job seekers and how contractors can connect directly to apprentice candidates who are ready to enter the field 
Through practical examples, attendees will understand how apprenticeships can reduce time-to-hire, provide structured career ladders, and improve retention. They will leave with actionable tools, resources, and pathways to engage with the ACE Network and IREC’s technical assistance to advance their workforce strategy.