Scaling Climate Opportunity – Workforce Innovation as a Tool for Climate and Economic Progress
Friday, Sep 19, 2025, 9:00 am - 9:40 am
Harvard Climate Symposium
Featuring Governor Maura Healey, Massachusetts and Tracy Palandjian, Social Finance
As climate challenges intensify, leadership requires not just setting ambitious goals but also building the workforce needed to achieve them. In this main-stage session, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Tracy Palandjian, CEO of Social Finance, will discuss the Massachusetts Climate Careers Fund — a $10 million public-private partnership designed to train and connect residents to high-quality jobs in the growing climate economy. Governor Healey and Ms. Palandjian will discuss how this fund, unveiled at the Vatican Climate Summit in 2024, is structured to serve as a scalable national model. This conversation will explore how workforce development is both a climate imperative but also a practical, cross-partisan strategy for economic growth, social mobility, and community resilience.
Additional Readings and Resources
Salata Institute Strengthening Communities Cluster
Governor Maura Healey
Governor Healey Unveils Energy Affordability, Independence & Innovation Act to Save Ratepayers $10 Billion
At Vatican Climate Summit, Governor Healey Announces Climate Careers Fund to Grow Massachusetts’ Climate Workforce
Livestream
As climate challenges intensify, leadership requires not just setting ambitious goals but also building the workforce needed to achieve them. In this main-stage session, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Tracy Palandjian, CEO of Social Finance, will discuss the Massachusetts Climate Careers Fund — a $10 million public-private partnership designed to train and connect residents to high-quality jobs in the growing climate economy. Governor Healey and Ms. Palandjian will discuss how this fund, unveiled at the Vatican Climate Summit in 2024, is structured to serve as a scalable national model. This conversation will explore how workforce development is both a climate imperative but also a practical, cross-partisan strategy for economic growth, social mobility, and community resilience.
Additional Readings and Resources
Salata Institute Strengthening Communities Cluster
Governor Maura Healey
Governor Healey Unveils Energy Affordability, Independence & Innovation Act to Save Ratepayers $10 Billion
At Vatican Climate Summit, Governor Healey Announces Climate Careers Fund to Grow Massachusetts’ Climate Workforce
ADD YOUR EVENT TO THE SALATA CALENDAR
Are you hosting a Harvard-affiliated event that is related to climate change and/or sustainability? Please submit your event to the Salata Institute event calendar using this quick form! We look forward to sharing your event with the Harvard community.
Submit Your Event