Powering a Sustainable Future With People-Centered Strategies

To power the ambitious climate change mitigation strategies necessary for a sustainable future, developing a skilled workforce will be critical.

To help achieve this, the Ares Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization sponsored by Ares Management Corporation, launched an initiative called Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow (CREST) in partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF) and World Resources Institute. In a press release announcing the launch, the Ares Foundation described CREST as a five-year, $25 million grant-funded program whose goal is to prepare individuals for climate-resilient jobs in the United States and India.

As part of the initiative, JFF will examine models of training programs designed to help U.S workers build the skills needed for climate-resilient jobs, then identify leading training providers, organizations, and solutions, and finally design career pathways to those opportunities. JFF will also conduct a five-region jobs challenge—in collaboration with local intermediaries, educational and training institutions, and community leaders—to develop region-wide climate and energy resilience agendas that drive economic and workforce development.

Each region will operationalize its agenda through a grant-funded implementation project that provides opportunities to understand the efficacy and impact of programs and solutions. In addition, the challenge will enable regional leaders to connect with both entrepreneurs offering solutions that support climate-resilient job entry and digital platforms that help workers strengthen their career navigation and personal finance skills.

The initiative is expected to train and place at least 25,000 individuals in clean energy jobs, while further raising awareness of climate-resilient careers among 100,000 individuals. CREST is also expected to partner with micro, small and midsize enterprises to ensure that businesses can withstand climate-related changes and drive global supply chain equity while reducing climate impacts and mitigating worker displacement.