Application For Next Cohort of PowerCorps Boston Launches

Mayor Michelle Wu announced that applications are now open for the next cohort of PowerCorps Boston, the City’s green industry workforce development program for young people. Following a “learn and earn” model, the program pays Boston’s young adults to participate in hands-on training while providing career readiness support and connections to employers in the green industry. Residents ages 18-30 can apply at boston.gov/powercorps. 

“PowerCorps Boston is a direct investment in the future of our young leaders while helping build Boston into a more vibrant, greener and resilient city,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This critical program connects residents with hands-on jobs training and expands career pathways across sectors, strengthening our neighborhoods and building a more climate-ready workforce. As applications open for our next cohort, I encourage anyone interested to apply, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the program’s next generation of leaders this summer.”

Led by the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, in partnership with the Environment Department, PowerCorps Boston prepares young adults for living-wage careers that address Boston’s most pressing environmental challenges. The program collaborates with over 60 non-profits, higher education institutions, and private sector organizations in Boston’s green industry to offer participants high-quality training opportunities and classroom instruction that lead to industry-recognized credentials. 

Over the course of 10 months, members receive a comprehensive and immersive experience that includes two phases: 

• The first phase, Foundations, is a four-month training program where participants focus on workforce-readiness skills, are introduced to green industry careers, and receive necessary support services to complete the program. This phase combines training in soft skills and environmental hard skills, applicable for employment in the green industry and beyond. 
• The second phase, Industry Academy, is a six-month training where participants choose to specialize in one of the three tracks:
• Urban Forestry: The study of arboriculture, including topics like soils, urban tree stressors, and pruning techniques. 
• Building Operations: A hybrid training model combining college-level courses and on-the-job training to operate and maintain buildings at peak efficiency.
• Urban Greening: A training in green infrastructure, urban agriculture, and natural resource management.

“PowerCorps Boston offers young adults, especially those from environmental justice populations, a great opportunity to earn money to get hands-on experience, skills training, and several industry-recognized certifications, all while improving their communities,” said Davo Jefferson, Executive Director of PowerCorps Boston. “The program prepares participants for pathways to living wage, high-demand jobs, and positions them to have a positive impact on both the city and the environment.”

“PowerCorps is an important part of our city’s green jobs future. It’s about training our workforce for the jobs we’ll need in the next quarter of the 21st century, while also protecting our environment for generations to come,” said City Councilor Brian Worrell. “I’ve seen that impact firsthand working with PowerCorps and our Parks Department to improve playgrounds, revitalize vacant lots, and enhance spaces around MBTA stations in District 4. I’m excited to see what this next cohort will accomplish. Programs like this create real career pathways for young people to build skills, earn a living wage, and stay rooted in their communities. As Chair of Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks, as well as Labor and Economic Development, I’m proud to support PowerCorps because it brings together economic opportunity and environmental justice in a way that improves quality of life for our residents.” 

To create a climate-ready city, Boston must cultivate a climate-ready workforce. According to the City's Climate Ready Workforce Action Plan, Boston is expected to see increased demand for workers across all green-related positions in the coming decades. Between now and 2050, efforts to design, build, and operate a clean energy economy and to ensure Boston’s climate resiliency will keep about 67,000 people employed each year, including 6,700 new jobs that would not exist without Boston’s climate policies and strategies. As the report suggests, expanding training opportunities, especially for the 45.5% of Bostonians without a Bachelor’s Degree, will be critical to ensuring Boston can meet the demands of a growing, evolving green economy. Programs like PowerCorps Boston are critical to strengthening Boston’s green workforce ecosystem and preparing residents for high-quality, skilled employment in green jobs. 

"Boston is leading the charge in developing a climate-ready workforce," said Trinh Nguyen, Chief of Worker Empowerment. "PowerCorps is a proven career pipeline that will lead workers to good jobs, address the effects of climate change, and meet employer and industry demands. I encourage eligible young adults to apply and take the first step to a fulfilling, impactful career."

PowerCorps Boston is now accepting applications for the May 2026 cohort. Referrals can also be submitted. To be eligible, applicants must be 18-30 years old; be a Boston resident; have a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED/HiSET); be unemployed or underemployed and not in college or on a career track; and have an interest in outdoor, hands-on training. Priority populations include residents from environmental justice communities, returning citizens, court-involved residents, youth who have experienced homelessness or housing instability, youth who have been in foster care, and other marginalized communities. For questions about the program, contact PowerCorpsBOS@boston.gov.