Energy Trust of Oregon, in collaboration with workforce development specialists and contractor partners, is seeking mentors for trade ally participants in the Contractor Development Pathway (CDP). Trade allies play a crucial role in delivering our programs by informing customers about available funding and promoting energy-efficient upgrades like HVAC equipment and insulation. Peer Mentorship supports CDP by pairing established trade allies with new and emerging trade allies for one-on-one mentorship. Its key objectives include:
- Strengthening support for contractors from communities historically underserved by Energy Trust. This includes BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and person of color) owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and rural contracting businesses within Energy Trust’s Home Retrofit and Existing Buildings programs.
- Fostering trade ally connection.
- Sharing business and industry knowledge.
- Equipping mentees with the tools needed to grow and develop their businesses.
Who can be a Mentor?
Established trade allies interested in enhancing their leadership skills to support new and emerging trade allies are encouraged to apply as mentors. Those who are interested should be available to provide mentorship for up to 15 hours over a six-month period. Mentors will receive general talking points, questions, and relevant resources to guide the mentoring conversations about specific topics. Mentors are also welcome to utilize their own materials and structure that best supports their mentees.
Mentors can leverage their team’s expertise to provide support in areas where they may not have specialized knowledge, ensuring that their staff can address topics and interests beyond the mentor’s primary focus. The individual completing the application should be the one who intends to serve as the primary mentor.
Benefits of Participation for Mentors
- Opportunities to expand your professional network.
- Business featured on Energy Trust’s Insider website.
- Compensation of $150 per hour.
Mentor Eligibility
- Mentors must be enrolled in Energy Trust’s Trade Ally Network with at least two years of experience completing Energy Trust projects and be in good standing.
- Have a strong interest in sharing information and helping others develop skills to grow their business.
- Have been in business for three or more years.
- Have completed at least two projects with Energy Trust’s incentive programs within the past five years.
- Can commit to up to 15 hours over a six-month period (May-November).
Business owners are strongly encouraged to apply to be a mentor if the following applies to them:
- Desire to provide learning opportunities for up-and-coming trade professionals.
- Fluent in Spanish
- Identifies as a priority population**
**Priority populations are defined as:
- Asian, Asian American and/or South Asian;
- Black and/or African American;
- Hispanic and/or Latine/o/a;
- Middle Eastern and/or North African;
- Native American and/or Alaska Native;
- and/or Native Hawaiian and/or other Pacific Islander
- Minority Business Enterprise (self-identified or COBID MBE certified)
- Women-owned (self-identified or COBID WBE certified)
How to Apply
Apply online using the CDP Mentor Application.
If you would like to learn more about being a mentor, please attend a virtual information session on one of the following dates by registering via the links below.
Information Sessions:
Monday, November 4, 2pm-2:30pm PST | Register to attend
Monday, December 2, 8am-8:30am PST | Register to attend
Friday, January 24, 9am-9:30am PST | Register to attend
Applications close on March 15, 2025
If you need assistance filling out the application, please contact cdp@energytrust.org.