Strategies for Strengthening Our Energy Infrastructure

Partnerships between energy industry employers and education/workforce entities (e.g., K-12 schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, workforce development boards etc.) can highlight career pathways and align curricula. Through partnerships, employers may also provide other key training resources, such as instructors and cutting-edge equipment, that workforce institutions struggle to afford. In the absence of industry engagement, education and training efforts may not generate the workforce employers need. Learners and jobseekers may not be fully aware of the career pathways and related educational pathways available in the energy sector, leading them to overlook this sector. There are likely opportunities to enhance curricula to give learners the skills and information that employers need. This avoids outcomes where graduates are unable to find work and saddled with loans and other expenses while employers struggle to find workers they need.

• Enhance relationships with industry to create stronger local workforce pipelines that match demand. The earlier and more frequently involved industry is in every step of the training development process, the greater the likelihood that real-time needs and opportunities of partners (e.g., educational institutions, workforce development, economic development, support services and others) can be met. (Tactic W1-A)
• Partner with employers to better understand their career development programs and what advantages they offer (salary, advancement opportunities, flexibility, proximity to home, etc.). (Tactic W1-B)
• Partner with industry to create a menu of options to enhance opportunities to learners and jobseekers across the continuum of work-based learning, including career exploration, internships, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. (Tactic W1-C)

There is strong demand for workers to fill energy technology jobs, i.e. those involving the deployment, operation and management of energy technologies. Not only do these jobs engage a wide range of skill sets, spanning many different disciplines (e.g., marketing, engineering, manufacturing, finance and accounting, etc.), ongoing technological change requires regular updates to curricula and training pathways. In exposing learners and job seekers to employment options, opportunities exist to better differentiate energy technology jobs from work in advanced manufacturing whose products may be used by the energy sector.

• Build out pathways for advanced manufacturing and clean energy deployment careers. Leverage existing resources and partners within education and workforce to create a comprehensive working group to identify what pathways already exist and prioritize other pathways for development. (Tactic W2-A)
• Disseminate career pathway information beyond the school walls: State, industry, and communities should partner to educate residents in trusted places they already gather (e.g., faith communities, recreation centers, etc.). (Tactic W2-B)

Raising awareness of energy technology sector careers options is crucial to filling the workforce pipeline. Learners, job seekers–and those who influence their educational and career decisions, especially educators–need to be aware of the diverse range of opportunities available along with their related educational and career pathways. Exposure can take many forms, including work-based learning opportunities such as job shadowing, worksite tours and internships.

• Expand community college and K-12 partnerships that create quality programs that expose students to STEM careers. Ensure these programs include educational materials, instructors, etc. tailored for the specific audience (e.g., by age, education level, demographic, etc.). (Tactic W3-A)
• Leverage existing state and federal funding sources and advocate for new funding to support students’ training for careers in the energy sector. (Tactic W3-B)

Learners and job seekers often need additional support beyond tuition assistance to complete training programs to fill available careers, including support for childcare, transportation, housing, access to the internet and more. A range of government and non-government sources could be used to fund these services. The need for such support often continues after employment. Indeed, many of these supports could benefit those already in the energy technology workforce.

• Increase funding for wraparound services, such as childcare, transportation, housing and access to the internet, to support learners making satisfactory academic progress. (Tactic W4-A)
• Increase the early childhood education workforce to increase access to quality childcare for potential employees. (Tactic W4-B)
• Examine best practices and strategies that increase the number of energy businesses offering benefits packages and employee resources that support transportation, workforce housing and childcare. (Tactic W4-C)

Educational institutions require significant resources to effectively train learners for future energy careers. These include funding or in-kind contributions for curriculum development, classroom equipment and technologies, as well as qualified instructors to engage learners. In a tight job market, institutions struggle to afford instructors. Funding to purchase the necessary equipment for new training programs is often hard to secure. And once funding is found, procurement processes can be burdensome.

• Build public-private partnerships that contribute funding for/procurement of instructors and equipment for training future energy workers. (Tactic W5-A)
• Create new funding models that make it easier for educational institutions and training facilities to apply for, receive and account for funds. Identify and provide operating support for intermediary organizations to braid or blend different streams of funding before it gets to the institution. (Tactic W5-B)

Energy efficiency and energy assistance programs are important tools to make energy affordable to lower-income consumers. For a variety of reasons, the cost of energy will continue to rise and many programs designed to reduce the financial burden on lower-income families are not sufficiently funded to meet existing needs. At the same time, some programs run by the public, private and non-profit sectors have a difficult time effectively communicating information, creating an awareness gap about the support available.

• Create a more user-friendly energy efficiency program dashboard that includes state, utility and other options for rebate incentives. Provide human support for dashboard users.  (Tactic A1-A)

Energy-efficient housing reduces demand for energy and lowers monthly energy costs to consumers. At present, the state’s building code prioritizes lower construction costs over energy-efficiency, both in the materials used and the appliances installed in new housing. This can lead to higher energy costs for those who live in them.

• Create policy incentives to ensure all new housing built is energy efficient and supports energy-efficient appliances. (Tactic A2-A)
• Expand programs, from local, state, and federal organizations, public and private, that assist with the purchase of upgrades to low-income housing to reduce energy consumption. (Tactic A2-B)
• Create a marketing and outreach plan around rebates/incentives to reduce out-of-pocket costs. Utilities should partner with state agencies and other trusted community voices to educate consumers (households and businesses). (Tactic A2-C)

There is a lack of systemic alignment on the local, state, and federal levels to manage the transition from our current energy landscape to the one of the future. This can result in gaps in services, duplication of initiatives, and/or a lack of quality programs overall. Improved program coordination and alignment ensure that resources are used more effectively and efficiently.

• Assist in the development of local home repair weatherization collaboratives in every North Carolina county to ensure intentional planning and coordination of programs, regardless of their funding source and program administration. Partnering nonprofits, faith institutions, and local governments that administer programs should meet regularly to assess and prioritize customer needs. To support this work, invest in the research of best practices in home repair weatherization program deployment and implement recommendations that provide the greatest direct support to communities. (Tactic A3-A)

Because of an increase in fraudulent business practices in the energy technology sector, some consumers are not getting promised energy benefits. This creates a lack of trust among community members and undermines efforts to promote the adoption of energy technologies.

• The council did not have any specific suggestions for how to implement this strategy.

Community support for new infrastructure projects is important. Often when projects are proposed, some community members are apprehensive about their potential impacts, whether they involve natural gas, nuclear power or renewable sources like solar energy and wind. Specific concerns about potential impacts have ranged widely. These include increased costs, disruptions from construction, lower property values, pollution, lost tax revenue, loss of agricultural land and lost jobs as communities transition from one energy source to another. Disadvantaged communities, in particular, have historically faced inequitable impacts from infrastructure projects leading to skepticism about new energy/infrastructure projects. Currently, there are no designated state resources or outlets that provide factual information to support an informed discussion of these concerns at the community level.

• Fully utilize federal dollars to relieve the financial burden on communities caused by incoming local energy infrastructure projects. (Tactic CI1-A)
• Create additional support for organizations trusted by communities to procure federal funds and assist with grant writing and compliance. (Tactic CI1-B)
• Promote community-level educational programs that examine the costs and benefits of all types of proposed energy projects, including generation from nuclear, gas, solar and wind as well as grid upgrades. (Tactic CI1-C)

When energy infrastructure projects are proposed, local leaders can promote informed conversations and act as a bridge between industry and the community. To play this role, trusted leaders should be engaged and empowered with information about the project and expressed community concerns.

• The council did not have any specific suggestions for how to implement this strategy.