Dream.Org Launches Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Workforce Development in Pittsburgh
Dream.Org kicked off an impactful partnership with American Forests, Gitlab, and Frontline Gig with the Clean Energy Workforce Ecosystem Convening in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 15, 2025. Over the next two years, our work will help upskill 1,000 local residents into good jobs in the green economy. Our launch brought together business leaders, public agencies, workforce development organizations, and nonprofits to connect the Pittsburgh community with clean energy career pathways. Dr. Kala Fleming, CEO of Frontline Gig and Dream Entrepreneurs Network member, demoed her AI-driven workforce development app to the room, showing how the Frontline Gig platform guides community members through green career pathways and how we will implement it in Pittsburgh. Councilman Khari Mosley closed out the day with remarks on how Dream.Org has helped bring much needed national resources to the Pittsburgh area, and shared new plans to bring sustainable solutions to the Steel City
We will focus on two rapidly expanding fields: solar energy and urban greening - as the focus for our workforce development programs.
Creating a Stronger, Greener Pittsburgh
According to American Forests, low-income communities tend to have 26% less tree cover and are almost 6 degrees warmer than wealthier ones, leaving residents more exposed to extreme weather. The neighborhoods of District 9 where our work is centered, have some of the lowest tree equity scores in the city. Through our partnership with American Forests, Dream.Org joins a growing group of 55 municipalities and faith-and community-based organizations advancing Tree Equity. The Tree Equity Catalyst Initiative from American Forests was created to help rapidly advance Tree Equity and close a growing tree gap in communities across America. Tree cover in urban areas has been declining due to underinvestment in low-income communities, leading to a gap of more than 500 million trees, predominantly in low-income and under-invested communities.
Funding for this project was provided by the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with American Forests. Through Catalyst Fund grants, American Forests is providing critical funding and technical knowledge to help Dream.Org advocate for, plant and restore trees where they are needed most. Dream.Org has also received funding from Gitlab for this work, strengthening the deployment of the Frontline Gig app within Pittsburgh. With Gitlab’s support, we will expand our work to build career pathways around expanding solar energy, which is critically needed in Pittsburgh, as well as to create an additional digital curriculum component focused on Data Advocacy.
Bringing Together Key Stakeholders for Real Results
Dream.Org is building a coalition of clean energy employers, community leaders, labor representatives, public agencies, and government officials, including Carnegie Mellon University, the Sustainability & Resilience Office of the City, Partner4Work, Landforce, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Larimer Consensus Group, and Councilman Mosley and District 9 to create solutions for the city’s workforce development needs. In partnership with Dr. Fleming, Dream.Org will deploy Frontline Gig’s innovative workforce model to connect 1000 individuals to paid, flexible, hands-on skills-building opportunities in clean energy over the next two years. We will further advance at least 100 Pittsburgh area individuals on a path to make a long-term career transition into the green economy and earn $50K+ salaries. Through this grant, we will build a coalition of clean energy employers, community leaders, labor representatives, public agencies, and government officials to ensure Pittsburgh residents have a chance to lead in the green economy.
