A cold, refreshing glass of water after a workout. Leftover pizza for breakfast. A bedroom that’s just the right temperature for a good night’s sleep. These daily comforts are made possible by refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pumps.
But even the most advanced systems depend on human expertise to install and maintain them. This concept is central to this year’s World Refrigeration Day theme, Cool Intelligence.
Today, we’re celebrating these skilled professionals and helping train the next generation of HVAC and heat pump technicians through Goodwill of Silicon Valley’s Clean Tech Accelerator.
A Statewide Shift to Clean Energy
As temperatures rise and extreme heat events become more frequent, access to reliable cooling is increasingly important.
In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom set a goal of installing six million heat pumps in California buildings by 2030. This is part of the state’s broader push toward carbon neutrality and away from fossil fuels, one of the country’s most ambitious clean energy initiatives.
This transition is already reshaping the HVAC industry. According to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), heat pump shipments have exceeded gas furnace shipments nationwide for four consecutive years. In 2025 alone, manufacturers shipped approximately 3.6 million heat pumps compared to 3.2 million gas furnaces.
Bridging the Skills Gap
As the market continues to grow, employers across California face a significant challenge: finding skilled workers to fill these roles.
To meet this demand, Goodwill of Silicon Valley is launching our Clean Tech Accelerator HVAC/Heat Pump Course, a free training program to prepare participants for careers in California’s expanding clean energy sector.
Over the next decade, the sector is projected to create thousands of well-paying jobs that do not require a four-year degree. These opportunities offer long-term growth and contribute to cleaner air, healthier homes, and a lower energy burden for communities statewide.
Through five weeks of hands-on instruction, students gain practical skills in:
- HVAC fundamentals
- Building science
- Heat pump installation and maintenance
- Troubleshooting and diagnostics
- Customer service
- Energy modeling
- Manual J calculations
Trainees receive ongoing personalized support to overcome barriers, including transportation assistance, mentoring, and job placement help. Graduates leave with industry-recognized certifications and a strong foundation for success.
A Free Path into the Field
The course is free for Santa Clara and San Benito County residents thanks to grants and community support. For nearly 100 years, every donation and purchase at Goodwill has sustained a circular economy by keeping usable goods out of local landfills, investing in California’s workforce, reducing reliance on public assistance, and saving taxpayer dollars.
A heat pump keeps a home comfortable and energy-efficient for years. A career keeps a family stable for a lifetime. Behind every sustainable upgrade and every fresh start is Cool Intelligence: human expertise that changes lives, strengthens neighborhoods, and builds a cleaner California.
Interested in learning more about the Clean Tech Accelerator HVAC/Heat Pump Course? Click here to learn more.
Questions? Contact us at cte@goodwillsv.org
