News

On April 28, 2025, Civic Hall hosted Building the Clean Energy Future, a full-day conference focused on the workforce implications of New York City’s ambitious clean energy and building retrofit goals. With support from the Heckscher Foundation for Children, the event brought together 144 participants from across the private sector, government, nonprofits, and academia — all united by the mission of building equitable and sustainable career pathways for underrepresented youth.

What set this convening apart was the active participation of 29 private sector companies—from real estate firms and engineering consultancies to IT infrastructure and power utilities—who joined not just to discuss workforce needs, but to signal their commitment to helping build tangible, long-term career pipelines. These companies understand that addressing climate change and energy efficiency requires not only technological innovation but also investment in a new generation of skilled workers, particularly young people from communities historically left out of high-growth sectors.
The day featured a keynote from Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College, and panel conversations led by industry and workforce leaders, including Vornado Realty Trust, Level Infrastructure, Building Skills NY, and Stacks + Joules. Sessions emphasized the importance of aligning training programs with employer demand while creating intentional onramps for underserved youth.

With participation from 7 government agencies, 15 nonprofit organizations, and 5 academic institutions, the conference offered a powerful demonstration of public-private coordination in action. Support from the Heckscher Foundation helped Civic Hall ensure inclusive access, hands-on demonstrations by young training program graduates, and the kinds of cross-sector networking that drive durable solutions.

By backing efforts like these, the Foundation continues to invest in systems change– supporting initiatives that connect underrepresented youth not just to jobs, but to meaningful, future-oriented careers.