Energy to Communities Expert Match Program

Through the Energy to Communities Expert Match program, the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT) partnered with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) to support Equiticity’s workforce development goals for its community mobility hubs, or GoHubs. The partnership focused on building Equiticity’s BikeForce program and identifying career pathways for young adults in Chicago neighborhoods.

IACT and NLR assessed potential training opportunities in e-bike and e-scooter repair, electric-vehicle maintenance, battery safety, fleet management, mobility education, software, solar energy, and building efficiency. Transferable skills that can support careers in micromobility, clean energy, transportation, construction, and the skilled trades were also identified, including mechanical aptitude, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and time management.

NLR and IACT also helped Equiticity explore partnerships with employers, workforce programs, training providers, transportation agencies, and regional planning organizations, and considered relevant certifications, apprenticeships, and workforce initiatives that could strengthen the GoHub model and align it with local and state priorities. The strategies provided by IACT and NLR showed how Equiticity's BikeForce can expand into a broader workforce development program connected to Chicago’s growing transportation and clean-energy sectors.