COMMUNITY PROFILE THE FOUR-WEEK, LOW-BARRIER, PAID TRAINING PROGRAM PREPARES GRADUATES FOR JOBS IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. | PHOTO COURTESY OF GOODWILL FROM RECOVERY TO RENEWABLE ENERGY: HOW GOODWILL’S CLEAN TECH ACCELERATOR IS CHANGING LIVES STORY BY JAMIE MILLER FIFTEEN MONTHS INTO SOBRIETY, Jonny Shepard decided to take a gamble: He left his job to join a program he’d never even heard of, hoping it would guide him toward a more meaningful future. “After I got clean, I worked a regular job for a while, but I already had it in my mind that I wanted to do more,” Shepard said. “I was just going through my Google News feed one morning and the Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator came up, and I thought, well, this would be a great segue into something that I’ve always wanted to do.” Shepard was interested in a career that made a lasting, positive impact, and he’d contemplated going into the green energy field — making the Goodwill program a natural fit. The four-week, 6 DENVER VOICE December 2025 low-barrier, paid training program prepares graduates for jobs in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. “I really feel like green energy is the most important thing we have to face in order to have a sustainable future for future generations,” Shepard said. “This is part of the reason why I always wanted to go into this field, and why I’m so grateful that Goodwill has started this program.” The training cohort included 15 participants, aged 20 to 60, in a mix of classroom work, hands-on training, and field trips to become certified EV charging station technicians. Goodwill assists with connecting graduates to potential employers during the program through partnerships with Namasté Solar and My Electric Home. Shepard developed more than a basic knowledge of the clean energy industry and essential EV technician hard skills. The experience also led to personal rediscovery and boosted his self-confidence. Shepard moved to Colorado in 2009, hoping a change in scenery would help him beat addiction, but he continued to struggle for 14 years. Now 18 months into sobriety, Shepard has gained a sense of self-worth. “It helped me build my confidence,” he said. “For most of my life — including much of my addiction — I had a lot of hobbies that actually helped me in this class, like electronics and computers. “The electric vehicle charging stations are just big computers with more power to them. That really helped me in the class, which in turn helped me realize that my past wasn’t a waste — I did gain a lot from the life I’ve lived.” Programs like Goodwill’s Clean Tech Accelerator assist individuals like Shepard to overcome barriers such as addiction, unemployment, or a lack of formal education, while filling critical gaps in Colorado’s clean energy workforce. That workforce is growing fast: Clean energy jobs in the state increased by more than 5% in 2023, outpacing overall job growth, with the clean vehicles sector expanding more than 10%. Yet nearly half of Colorado employers in the field report difficulty finding skilled workers, even as the state surpasses 100,000 registered EVs. With that demand expected to rise, the program serves as a bridge — connecting people rebuilding their lives to a clean-energy economy racing to keep up with itself. “I find that for myself, the biggest thing that holds me back is myself,” Shepard said. “If you’re thinking of holding yourself back, my advice is don’t — take the opportunity!” For more information about the Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator program, visit goodwillcolorado.org/services/ clean-tech-accelerator/
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