A Bright Future Awaits You

Build a Future-Proof Career in Smart Energy

Smart Energy Careers are growing fast, and skilled workers are in demand. If you want a hands-on, well-paying career with long-term stability, Smart Energy Careers offer real pathways forward, while helping your community stay safe and comfortable year-round. Find out how to get trained and choose a path that is right for you. Check out the job profiles below to learn more about Smart Energy Jobs.

How to Get Started

  1. Obtain a High School Diploma or Equivalent Education – Dual-enrollment programs are an option, that let you earn credit toward a degree or certificate before graduation.
  2. Optional: Consider A Pre-Apprenticeship Program – ​Pre-apprenticeship programs give you hands-on experience and help decide if a career in Smart Energy is right for you.
  3. Get Trained – Choose A Path – Apply at a local trade school OR join a company and start a paid apprenticeship program OR join a company in an entry level position.
  4. Earn Certifications – After learning the basic skills, you can start earning certifications and progress your career.

Why Choose a Career in Smart Energy

Stable, High Demand Work

HVAC, weatherization, and energy auditing roles are in steady demand across Colorado as aging homes and buildings continue to need maintenance, upgrades, and improvements. With continued efforts across the State to make homes more efficient, Smart Energy Careers are and will be in high demand. And due to the nature of comfortable homes being a basic need, this kind of work is typically less affected by economic shifts than many other fields.

Competitive Pay and Career Progression

Many positions in Smart Energy Careers offer wages that can support independent living, with opportunities for higher pay as skills, certifications, and years of experience increase. Career paths often include advancement into lead technician roles, supervision, specialized technical work, or even business ownership over time.

Work That Supports Local Communities

Many Colorado residents deal with freezing apartments in the winter or sweltering ones in the summer, due to outdated heating or cooling equipment, poor insulation, or leaky buildings. That is where Smart Energy technicians come in, improving indoor comfort, and ensuring healthy living conditions for residents. In doing so, they help households manage utility costs and support broader energy and climate goals within their own communities.

Accessible Entry Paths

Smart Energy Careers typically rely on certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-sponsored training rather than expensive four-year degrees. Many programs allow participants to earn income while building practical, transferable skills that are applicable across different employers and regions.

Smart Energy Careers: Job Profiles

Explore the following three careers by reviewing the linked job profiles. Find out what a day on the job looks like and what the pay range is in Colorado. Discover what you will need to learn for the job and where you can work once you are trained. Additionally, watch the short videos to hear from real life professionals about their experience working in the field.

Helpful Links to Explore Further

My Colorado Journey is a digital platform designed to help residents explore career pathways, find education/training programs, and map out job goals. The site is managed by a collaborative of Colorado state agencies, including the Department of Higher Education and the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC).

Visit the Renewable Energy Career Pathways Map to see how you can start and progress in these smart energy occupations.

Reach out to your local Workforce Centers to:

  • Find out if you are eligible for tuition assistance. 
  • Learn about employers who are hiring for these occupations. 
  • Receive personalized job search assistance.

All services at Workforce Centers are free and available throughout Colorado:

Larimer County Area 
200 West Oak Street
Fort Collins, CO 80521  
Phone: (970) 498-6600 

Fort Collins

Weld County Area
315 N 11th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 400-3800

Greeley

Weld County Area
2950 9th Street
Fort Lupton, CO 80621
Phone: (303) 857-2725

Fort Lupton

Mesa County Area
512 29 1/2 Rd.
Grand Junction, CO 81504
Phone: (970) 248-7560

Grand Junction

San Luis Valley Area
305 Murphy Dr # B
Alamosa, CO 81101
Phone: (719) 589-5118

Alamosa

San Luis Valley Area
2079 Sherman Ave.
Monte Vista, CO 81144
Phone: (719) 852-5171

Monte Vista

Power Ahead Colorado’s Green Jobs website for a program for young adults, helping them access Smart Energy Careers in 2026.

Denver Metro Area

About Xcel Energy Clean Energy Careers

This Smart Energy Careers campaign was developed within Xcel Energy’s workforce development program, Clean Energy Careers (CEC). The Denver based marketing firm ZoZo Group won a competitive grant and created the collateral material of this campaign. Launched first in Spring of 2025, CEC was developed to support Xcel Energy’s Clean Heat Plan, which is bringing more than $400 million to Colorado to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Clean Energy Careers program (CEC) is supporting and growing the workforce related to beneficial electrification. The program is focused on growing 3 occupations: home energy auditors, insulation and air sealing technicians, and HVAC technicians. CEC serves Xcel Energy’s communities throughout Colorado and, for certain program offerings, is prioritizing rural regions including the High Country, Western Slope, and Southern Colorado.

Xcel Energy Partners in Energy Collaborating to Support Clean Energy Careers

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