CTI Grant Funded Tuition-Free Programs

Thank you for your interest in the CTI Grant Programs at Keefe Tech. The application process for the HVAC – Oil and Gas Burner Technology and Journeyman Electrical Module 1 programs will open in October 2025. Journeyman Plumbing Tier 1 will be offered again in September 2026. In the meantime, please leave your contact information by clicking on the button that appears directly below.

It is important to note that these are competitive grants, with only 10 openings in each program. The application process includes 3 steps: Preliminary Application, Submission of All Required Documents, and, if eligible, a one-on-one interview with the program manager. Determination on acceptance to the program will be conveyed to candidates once all eligible applicants have been interviewed.

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Certifications and Eligibility

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We are pleased to announce the continuation of Career Technical Initiative Programs at Keefe Technical High School under Keefe at Night, our Continuing Education Program for Adults. In January 2026, we will be offering the two following programs:

HVAC – Oil and Gas Burner Technology
Electrical Module 1

These programs are made possible through funding by the Career Technical Initiative (CTI), which is funded through an appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 State Budget and funds appropriated through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. The grants are administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Workforce Skills Cabinet. In partnership with the MassHire Metro South/West Career Center, Keefe at Night will administer the programs from the admissions application process to apprenticeship placement, and employment.

The primary objective of the CTI funding and the expansion of these three programs is to address the needs of both job seekers and employers by providing training opportunities for adults in high-demand and high-growth industries. This training will help individuals who are either unemployed or under-employed in establishing career pathways.

The grant funds awarded to Keefe at Night will provide opportunities to eligible adult learners to enroll in an enhanced 200-hour Massachusetts Journeyman Plumbing Tier 1, a 200-hour HVAC – Oil and Gas Burner Technology Certification Program, and a 200-hour Massachusetts Journeyman Electrical Module 1 Program at no cost to participants. In addition to classroom lectures, these programs will include OSHA certification, hands-on practice, and essential career development and employability skills training.

If you are interested in applying, please read the instructions below and be sure to complete all the necessary forms.

Programming

Please note that you can only apply for one program.

Applications to more than one program will not be included in the selection process.

In addition to classroom lectures, these programs will include OSHA certification, hands-on practice, and essential career development and employability skills training.

Electrical Journeyman – Module 1

New! Journeyman Electrical Module 1 200-hour program – Launch your career as a Journeyman Electrician. This program will include the required 75 hours of code and theory studies for Module 1 as part of the Massachusetts 8-Module journeyman program. It also includes OSHA Certification, hands-on practice, and essential career development and employability skills training.

HVAC – Oil and Gas Burner Technology

HVAC – Oil and Gas Burner Technology – This 200-hour program will prepare students to sit for the Massachusetts Oil Burner Technician Certification exam. Students will learn the basics of residential heating gas & oil burner technology, service, repair, installation and maintenance. The program also includes OSHA Certification, hands-on practice, and essential career development and employability skills training.

Journeyman Plumbing Tier 1

The next offering of this program will take place in September 2026
Fall 2025 Journeyman Plumbing Tier 1 200-hour program – Launch your career as a Journeyman Plumber. This program will include the required 110 hours of code and theory studies for Tier 1 as part of the Massachusetts 5-tier journeyman program. It also includes OSHA Certification, hands-on practice, and essential career development and employability skills training.

Certifications:

Participants in the Electrical – Module 1 Program will receive a certificate of completion of 75 hours in Module 1, as part of the Massachusetts 8-Module Journeyman Electrical Program.

Tier 1 Plumbing Program students will receive a certificate of completion for the 110 Tier 1 hours required by the State of Massachusetts Plumbing Board.

Participants in the HVAC program will be prepared to take the Massachusetts Oil Burner Technician exam.

Eligibility:

Do you qualify for this tuition-free program? In order to qualify for either of these programs, applicants must:

Show proof of Massachusetts residency. Residency may be documented using one of the documents listed below:

Driver’s License or current and valid MA State-Issued ID
Utility Bill dated within the last three months
Government Mail received in the past 60 days (including property tax or excise tax bill)
Bank Statement
Pension Statement
Auto or Home Insurance Policy

Show proof of eligibility to be eligible to work in the United States by submitting one of the following documents:

United States Passport
Birth Certificate
Social Security Card
Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)

Be currently unemployed or underemployed

An unemployed individual is defined as an individual who is not currently employed at the time of enrollment in the program.
An underemployed individual is defined as an individual who is earning less than 60% of the Median Household Income (also referred to as Area Median Income) for the Workforce Area in which they reside (please click on the picture of the table).

Be 18 years of age or older when submitting their application
Provide proof of a high school diploma or equivalency
Agree to the Program Terms and Guidelines which appear in the preliminary application.

Spaces are limited.
Applications can be submitted in October 2025:

Plumbing Applications will be accepted in May 2026; HVAC + Electrical Applications will be accepted in October 2025

Journeyman Plumbing- Tier 1 Program September 2026

Journeyman Electrical – Module 1 Program January 2026

HVAC – Oil Burner Technology January 2026

Please note that you can only apply for one program, and the application forms must be completed in full. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If it is determined from your preliminary application that you are eligible for one of these grant-funded programs, you will receive an email from our partner, MassHire Career Center in Framingham, with instructions on next steps and requirements.

Please note that it may take up to 5 business days for MassHire to contact you. Within one week of contact from MassHire, you must submit the required information that appears below:

MassHire Job Quest ID #
Copy of your current Massachusetts Driver’s License.
A copy of your most recent pay stub for those participants who are underemployed.
Unemployed participants will need to submit proof of unemployment. Examples of forms of documentation that can be accepted for proof of unemployment include:
1. Proof of UI receipt
2. Attestation of unemployment
3. Letter or statement of unemployment verification
4. Screenshot of photo of UI account
5. Tax form for proof of no income (e.g., 1040 form)
6. A copy of your high school diploma or GED/HiSet Certificate.

If you fulfill all of the eligibility requirements, you will be asked to participate in a one-on-one interview with Keefe Tech’s CTI Program Manager.

CTI Grant Funded Tuition-Free Programs