people / faculty
Zach Cunningham
Training & Education AssociateClimate Jobs Institute
EXT-CJI
Overview
Cunningham is a Training & Education Associate at Cornell University’s ILR School Climate Jobs Institute.
In this role, Cunningham works with labor partners and state-based climate jobs coalitions to develop educational programs and resources that engage union members and leaders in the fight to tackle climate change through high-quality, union job creation. In addition, he is currently studying the role pre-apprenticeship programs play in creating a diverse, equitable clean energy economy.
Before joining the Climate Jobs Institute, Cunningham was a high school teacher and worked as a labor educator with the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Local 1000 AFSCME. He holds a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell’s ILR School and sits on the United Association for Labor Education board.
Professional Activities
- ILR Alumni Panel: Careers in the Labor Movement. Presented to ILR Career Services. 2024.
- Presented to Climate Jobs Institute. The Desmond Hotel-Crowne Plaza - Albany, NY. 2024.
- Presented to Climate Jobs Institute. Webinar. 2024.
- Presented to Climate Jobs Institute. Cornell Tech, Verizon Executive Event, Roosevelt Island, New York City. 2024.
- Presented to Climate Jobs Institute. Cornell ILR NYC Conference Center, New York NY. 2023.
- Building A Clean Energy Economy: The Inflation Reduction Act and Workforce Development. Virtual. 2023.
- Keynote Address. Presented to Climate Jobs National Resource Center. Virtual. 2022.
- Organized Labor and the Climate Crisis. Presented to United Association for Labor Education (UALE). SUNY Empire State College in Midtown Manhattan. 2022.
- Labor Leading on Climate: Tackling Climate Change, Reversing Inequality and Building an Inclusive Clean Energy Economy. Presented to Cornell University, ILR School. Virtual. 2022.
- Emerging Clean Technologies Advisory Group Meeting #2. Presented to Breakthrough Energy. Virtual. 2022.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Washington State. Virtual. 2022.
- Climate Justice and Collective Bargaining: Final Recommendations. Presented to SEIU1021. Virtual. 2022.
- CFHS IUPAT: Background and Analysis. Presented to International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT). Virtual. 2022.
- Emerging Clean Technologies: Brief Overview of the Four Technologies. Presented to Breakthrough Energy . Virtual. 2022.
- Climate Justice and Collective Bargaining: Updated Recommendations. Presented to SEIU1021. Virtual. 2022.
- Climate Justice and Collective Bargaining: Draft Recommendations. Presented to SEIU1021. Virtual. 2021.
- Movement Building Case: Labor Leading on Climate. Presented to Cornell's Union Leadership Institute. Latham, NY. 2021.
- Labor and the Climate Movement: Challenges and Opportunities. Presented to 350 Brooklyn. Virtual. 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate Lunch and Learn. Presented to Cornell ILR Outreach. Virtual. 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for CWA. Presented to Climate Jobs NY. Virtual . 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for UFCW/RWDSU. Presented to Climate Jobs NY. Virtual . 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Rhode Island. Presented to Climate Jobs Rhode Island. Virtual. 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Texas. Presented to Texas Climate Jobs Project. Virtual. 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Wisconsin. Presented to Climate Jobs National Resource Center. Virtual. 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for 1199SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, and NYSNA. Presented to CJNY and 1199SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, and NYSNA. Virtual. 2021.
- Popular Education in a Virtual World. Presented to United Association for Labor Education. Virtual. 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for LI Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA). Presented to Climate Jobs NY. Virtual . 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Maine. Presented to Maine AFL-CIO. Virtual. 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Rhode Island. Presented to Climate Jobs Rhode Island. Virtual. 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for the NYC Central Labor Council (CLC), AFL-CIO. Presented to Climate Jobs NY. Virtual. 2021.
- Labor Leading on Climate and Jobs in Wisconsin. Presented to Climate Jobs National Resource Center. Virtual. 2021.
- Climate Jobs and Offshore Wind (OSW) for Climate Jobs NY Members. Presented to Climate Jobs NY. Virtual . 2020.
- Best Practices for New Member Orientation. Presented to United Association for Labor Education. Philadelphia, PA. 2019.
- No More Status Quo: The Dual Case Study as a Leadership Development Tool. Presented to United Association for Labor Education. Seattle, WA. 2018.