Schools
Worcester Schools Gain Clean Energy Career Pathway From State
Worcester is among 31 districts across Massachusetts that have been approved to launch new Innovation Career Pathways programs.
WORCESTER, MA — Worcester Public Schools will launch a new clean energy pathway for high school students through the district’s Innovation Career Pathways program after receiving state approval as part of a broader expansion announced Thursday.
The new Worcester pathway is part of 41 new Innovation Career Pathways programs approved across 36 high schools in 31 Massachusetts districts for the 2026-27 school year, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration. Worcester’s program will focus on clean energy and will be offered to 10th- and 11th-grade students who are not already enrolled at Worcester Technical High School or another Chapter 74 career technical education program.
Worcester Public Schools said the after-school program will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at Worcester Technical High School. Students in the pathway will take technical courses in Introduction to Clean Energy and Climate Science and Clean Energy Trades and Technologies, along with AP Environmental Science, AP Physics I, an internship and Career and Academic Planning I and II.
District officials said students who complete the pathway will build foundational and applied knowledge in clean energy systems, environmental science, sustainability practices and workplace safety. Worcester students in the introductory course will also earn OSHA 10 Construction Industry certification, which the district said will prepare them for entry-level work and industry safety standards.
The district said the program is designed to connect students to growing regional job fields, including HVAC, solar, and sustainable construction. Worcester Public Schools said the pathway aligns with the Central Massachusetts Regional Workforce Blueprint for 2023 through 2027, which identifies construction and HVAC mechanics as among the region’s top shortage occupations, with average wages above $60,000 and strong employer demand.
A required 100-hour career immersion experience is also built into the pathway, according to the district. Worcester officials said the program is intended to prepare students for college, registered apprenticeships or direct entry into the workforce.
State officials said Innovation Career Pathways programs give students access to advanced coursework, internships and work-based learning at no cost. Starting in the 2026-27 school year, the programs will be offered in nearly 36 percent of eligible high schools in Massachusetts, with more than 8,500 students enrolled in one or more of the state’s 303 pathways across 130 high schools.
The announcement was made at the 2026 STEM Summit at UMass Lowell’s NERVE Center. Gov. Maura Healey said in the administration’s announcement that the state is continuing to invest in pathways tied to high-demand industries, including clean energy, life sciences, and information technology.
See Also:
