USGBC California Partners with California State University and Foundation for California Community Colleges to Expand Green Career Pathways for More Than 2.5 Million Students

Agreements provide green workforce development opportunities across California’s public higher education systems

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 25, 2026) To accelerate California’s transformation to an economy fueled by clean energy and empower the next generation of workers, USGBC California (USGBC-CA) has executed partnership agreements with two of the nation’s largest public higher education systems, respectively: the California State University (CSU) system and the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC), the official nonprofit partner to the California Community Colleges (CCC).

Together, these partnerships unite over 2.5 million undergraduate, graduate, and community college students, alongside faculty and facilities staff across 22 CSU campuses and 116 CCCs – amplifying access to green career pathways, technical training, hands-on internships, and robust professional networks.

As California drives toward ambitious state net zero and climate resilience targets, these strategic partnerships aim to ensure that a diverse, highly skilled local talent pipeline is equipped to design, build, operate, and maintain sustainable infrastructure across the state’s built environment and adapt buildings for a hotter, more wildfire-prone environment. The building industry is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.

“California’s climate goals will ultimately be built by people,” said Ben Stapleton, CEO of USGBC California. “These partnerships give us an extraordinary opportunity to connect millions of students to the skills, relationships, and real-world experience that can turn climate ambition into careers. By creating clearer pathways from the classroom into the building industry, we can grow the workforce California needs while opening those opportunities to communities across the state.”

“Sustainability matters deeply to the CSU and its students,” says Lindsey Rowell, CSU Chief of Energy, Sustainability & Transportation. “California and its industries demand skilled professionals who can turn climate ambition into real-world progress. Through our partnership with USGBC California, we are meeting that moment by connecting thousands of students to training, internships, and professional networks that can transform their passions into meaningful careers and help develop California’s climate-forward workforce.”

“Community colleges have been supporting trades and technical training for decades, and partnering with USGBC California to create even more green career opportunities will generate enormous benefits across the state,” says Aris Hovasapian, Director of Climate Action and Procurement Initiatives at the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “As the community college system aspires to achieve systemwide climate action goals, as we strive to connect classroom learning to sustainable building practices, and as we support the emerging green economy, this partnership will lift up the communities served by our colleges by providing career pathways in sustainability to members of those very communities that have traditionally felt the first and most adverse impacts of climate change.”

Empowering Students & Faculty: Key Partnership Benefits

The partnerships establish comprehensive workforce development frameworks tailored to expand access to sustainability resources across all participating campuses, faculty, and student populations:

• Complimentary Memberships & Professional Networks: USGBC California is providing hundreds of memberships for CSU and community college students, faculty, and staff (e.g. sustainability directors and facilities managers) per campus. Members gain access to USGBC California’s statewide Community Hub, technical expert networks, mentor/mentee programs, and the opportunity to engage as either participants or leaders in regional and topic-based committees, including Building Decarbonization, Construction, Circularity, Environmental Justice, Women in Green, and Emerging Professionals.

• Dedicated Landing Page: Custom web portals – one for CSU and one for the CCC – enable seamless access to educational resources, webinars, certificate programs, events, networking, and membership benefits.

• Industry-Recognized Green Workforce Training: Students and staff gain access to USGBC-CA’s Learning Management System (LMS) and training portfolio, with most offerings at no cost to maximize access. Certificates cover critical climate topics such as Embodied Carbon, Electrification, Zero Waste, Occupant Health, Building Performance Standards, Extreme Heat, and Wildfire Defense. Many training courses are eligible for AIA and GBCI continuing education credits.

• Green Building Corps Internships: Priority application consideration for CSU and community college students to participate in USGBC-CA’s structured Green Building Corps internship program. Interns work directly with USGBC-CA staff across its key programs, including Green Homes California, statewide building performance standards, green schools, advocacy & policy, and building innovation through the Net Zero Accelerator.

• USGBC-CA invites CSU and CCC campuses to participate in targeted career events that connect students directly to hiring managers, industry mentors, and green job openings.

• Policy Advocacy & Innovation: Each partner system will have the opportunity to send three campus representatives to USGBC California’s annual Green Building Advocacy Day in Sacramento, directly engaging state policymakers.

• Campus Green Buildings Showcase: Green Building Corps interns and CSU campus teams will integrate university facilities into EcoMapCA, creating interactive public education tours that showcase sustainable campus architecture and energy efficiency milestones.

For more information or interview requests on the partnerships, please contact Julie Du Brow, julie@usgbc-ca.org. For information on USGBC California, please contact Julie and you may also visit usgbc-ca.org.

CSU Portal: https://usgbc-ca.org/csu-portal/ (requires .edu address from one of the schools to sign up)

FCCC Portal: https://usgbc-ca.org/fccc-portal/ (requires .edu address from one of the schools to sign up)

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About USGBC California

USGBC California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and member-based organization working to make California’s built environment more sustainable, resilient, and equitable. An independent chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, it brings together green building communities across the state, from the Redwood Empire to San Diego. The organization helps leaders act on climate change, public health, and environmental justice. It builds a diverse talent pipeline through training, mentorship, and direct-to-community programs. It connects people across disciplines to drive systemic change, and it advocates for policy that meets the most urgent environmental and social challenges of our time. (www.usgbc-ca.org)

About California State University (CSU)

The California State University is the largest public university system in the United States, consisting of 22 campuses and seven off-campus centers enrolling over 450,000 students and employing more than 55,000 faculty and staff. The CSU is the state’s greatest producer of bachelor’s degrees—awarding nearly 127,000 degrees annually—and serves as a primary economic driver across agriculture, business, healthcare, life sciences, public administration, and technology.

About the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC)

The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.