scaling Boston's green workforce training program

Launched in summer 2022 as part of Boston’s Green New Deal, PowerCorps Boston (PCB) is a green jobs program that provides young adults with training, career readiness support, connections to employers and a platform to take action on climate. An “earn and learn” program, PCB pays members to participate in hands-on training that prepares them for living-wage careers. PCB is an example of how cities haven’t waited for a federal Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) to exist, but are creatively finding ways to put the aspirations of a CCC into practice by creating citywide “climate corps”.

Through a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) practicum course held in spring 2023, my team worked closely with PowerCorps Boston’s executive director, staff, and a group of corps members to co-develop a blueprint for the organization to scale. PCB graduated its first members in December 2022, and was in its second cohort when this course took place. The blueprint is intended to support PCB in making strategic decisions about the future by addressing the following questions:

- What sectors of the green economy is PCB well-positioned to train for that can offer meaningful, stable, and wealth-generating career pathways for PCB graduates?
- How can PCB chart a path to scale into these new training areas over the next 5 years?
- What projects can PCB take on to make a lasting impact on climate change and communities within the city of Boston?
- How can PCB scale while keeping the hopes and desires of the young adults that the program serves at the center?