Host: Colorado Energy Office
Region: Colorado
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Affordable Housing, Climate Adaptation (e.g.,sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Research, Stakeholder Engagement, Workforce Development,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – the fellow may serve mostly remote (within 50 mile radius) but will be expected to attend in person events as needed. The fellow will also have access to office space if wanted.

Service Needs & Plans

The fellow will be supporting, through research only, the proposals for workforce funding and Registered Apprenticeship Programs submitted by the Colorado Energy Office. The fellow will also be supporting and leading workforce advisory groups and stakeholder outreach and engagement.

The fellow’s work on in this project will improve programmatic delivery of Colorado’s low income based Weatherization Assistance Program as well as further the achievements of Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Roadmap.

Project Description

Project 1: Climate Action Workforce Environment Index Tool
a. Support the development of a collaborative tool to connect all of the state’s climate action workforce development stakeholders, including state government agencies, climate action non-profit and community based organizations, industry partners, career and technical education partners, local and national data resources, and local and national funding sources.
b. Reach out to identified stakeholders to collect up-to-date information on current workforce development initiatives, resources, and needs.
c. Help design and implement a communication plan to effectively share the tool with relevant stakeholders.

Project 2: Weatherization Registered Apprenticeship Program (WAP RAP)
a. Support Weatherization Assistance Program in the administration and reporting duties required as the sponsor of the WAP RAP.
b. Lead the check ins with the WAP subgrantees who employ WAP apprentices.
c.Work with subgrantees and WAP training manager to identify areas for evaluation and revision of WAP RAP.
d. Support efforts for standing up an energy efficiency pre-apprenticeship program, including stakeholder engagement, research into curriculum and other duties are needed.

Project 3: Connecting Workforce Opportunities to ALL
a. Identify key stakeholders to effectively reach disproportionately impacted communities and connect those most in need to career opportunities that pay a family sustaining wage and provide a path out of poverty.
b. Support relationship building with local workforce development centers
c. Build partnerships with community-based organizations to understand needs and barriers residents are facing – so resources can be effectively utilized for wrap-around services to increase accessibility.
d. Co-lead the WAP workforce advisory group

Each of these projects will help the weatherization assistance program improve its programmatic delivery, reach Disproportionately Impacted communities, and ultimately reduce GHG emissions.

Desired Skills

Communication skills; Relationship building; Timeliness

Organization & Workplace Highlights

The Colorado Energy Office currently has approximately 80 employees and is growing rapidly as new funding for energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy projects comes in from both the state and federal government. We have seven different program teams:

1. Executive team (senior leadership, communications, EJ)
2. Finance & Operations (budgeting, accounting, procurement, contracts)
3. Policy (policy development, advocacy, regulatory analysis)
4. Transportation Fuels & Technology (electric vehicles, e-bikes, EV charging)
5. Building Decarbonization (building efficiency, electrification, renewable energy)
6. Weatherization Assistance Program (income-qualified home energy efficiency)
7. Strategic Initiatives & Finance (industrial emissions, emerging technologies, commercial financing)

Environmental justice is a top priority for us as we transition to our clean energy future. On July 1, 2021, Governor Polis signed the Environmental Justice Act into law to address environmental health disparities and prioritize benefits in communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. The bill asserts that “All people have the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, participate freely in decisions that affect their environments, live free of dangerous levels of toxic pollution, experience equal protection provided by environmental policies, and share the benefits of a prosperous and vibrant pollution-free economy.” The bill also created an environmental justice task force to develop recommendations for state agencies on best practices to address environmental justice inequities, which our office is consistently striving to incorporate into our work. The Colorado Energy Office acknowledges historical racism and the disproportionate environmental burden experienced in low income and communities of color. We are committed to restorative justice by changing policies and practices to create a more equitable, cleaner, and safer environment for all Coloradans.

In addition to our work on environmental justice, our office regularly convenes an equity, diversity, and inclusion working group to plan training sessions for our staff and address EDI issues in hiring and procurement.

There is no better time and place to get involved with this work. Colorado is leading the nation in its innovative approach to reduce emissions across sectors. Working across CEO teams to ensure that each team’s outreach and communications needs are met, the CivicSpark fellow will have the unique opportunity to learn about and be part of the state’s holistic approach to achieve a clean energy future. Working in communications and outreach will not only allow the CivicSpark fellow to learn about new clean energy technologies and strategies to implement them, but also how to educate and engage others with this work.

Community Highlights

The Colorado Energy Office is in service to the entire state of Colorado and we work to make sure that our staff and fellows are aware of and have the tools to, work within diverse communities.

Our office is located in the heart of downtown Denver, walking distance from the State Capitol, and easily accessible by public transit. Denver has a variety of parks, museums, bike trails, breweries, restaurants, and other fun activities to do year round. Our close proximity to the mountains also offers opportunities to recreate outdoors, including hiking, skiing, biking, rafting, and relaxing. The State’s Bustang service offers affordable transportation to a variety of areas across the state, including major ski resorts along I-70.