Trane Commits $1 Million to Expand Goodwill's National HVAC and Heat Pump Training Program

Trane Technologies has committed a $1 million, three-year grant to Goodwill Industries International to expand the Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator (GCTA), a national workforce-development program that prepares job-seekers facing employment barriers for entry-level, high-demand careers in the clean-energy economy. The funding will support five local Goodwill organizations and equip nearly 500 participants with industry-recognized credentials and hands-on technical skills.

Program format and track record

The GCTA is an intensive four- to five-week program that combines classroom instruction, hands-on lab training, and career coaching with direct connections to local employers. Participants also receive weekly stipends, personalized career navigation, and wraparound support services designed to remove barriers that can prevent talented individuals from entering the skilled trades.

Since launching in 2024, the GCTA has reached nearly 1,000 graduates and maintains a 92% graduation rate, with hundreds of participants placed into jobs.

Where the investment will go

In its first year, Trane's funding will support the following:

• Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina – expanded cohort capacity and national instructor certifications for the HVAC and heat pump training pathway.
• St. Paul, Minnesota – Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota will expand its existing solar training pathway to include HVAC and heat pump instruction and complete a dedicated hands-on training lab.

In years two and three, the partnership will extend to three additional markets.

Voices from both sides

Carrie Ruddy, Trane's senior vice president and chief communications and marketing officer, stated in a press release that the future of energy requires both breakthrough climate technologies and a highly skilled workforce ready to deploy and maintain them. She noted that the partnership with Goodwill Industries International expands access to career training and pathways into critical skilled trades, opening doors to long-term careers while helping build the workforce needed to support more sustainable homes, buildings, and communities.

Monique Baptiste, chief mission officer of Goodwill Industries International, observed that demand for clean-energy and HVAC technicians is growing rapidly across the country, yet too many capable individuals still face barriers to accessing those opportunities. She said the organization is working to bridge that gap through the proven GCTA and that the partnership with Trane Technologies will help expand its reach and impact, equipping more people with the technical skills, credentials, and confidence to build family-sustaining careers in the growing clean-energy sector.

Broader alignment

Trane Technologies said its support of Goodwill Industries International and the GCTA aligns with the company's 2030 Sustainability Commitments and its efforts to expand access to green and STEM education and career pathways that help prepare the next generation to address some of the world's most pressing challenges.

Source: ACHR NEWS Editorial Staff, courtesy of Trane Technologies. Announced in Swords, Ireland, November 12, 2026.