Here’s what their contributions are enabling:

• Get Into Energy booth to educate trade-oriented students and educators about energy careers at SkillsUSA
• A new national platform (launching this summer!) with dozens of resources to help educators adopt energy education and the Energy and Natural Resources Career Cluster in their classrooms, including a national hotline of sorts to support educators with energy education
• CEWD’s national strategy and supporting resources to help companies partner with educators on energy curriculum and materials to help policymakers understand how important energy curriculum is to their communities
• Creation of a new “Energized Athletes” campaign
• Launch of PowHER hours and HirePowHER to attract more women to skilled trades
• Energy-focused student competitions
• Career awareness videos and related assets targeting Gen Z
• Competencies and framework for energy education for primary, secondary, and post-secondary educators

And so much more! These organizations have answered the industry’s call and are enabling us to push through the door of opportunity that has been opened to build our talent pipeline, largely because of the new Energy and Natural Resources Career Cluster. Can you help? Can you help us pass our next million dollar need by this fall? Make a pledge here. Contact Missy Henriksen for more information.

Distinguished experts, noted authors, and respected industry leaders will all take their place on center stage at The CEWD Forum next month. Join us for two days of transformative programming convening stakeholders about business imperatives around building the energy workforce, especially drawing forward those who Secretary Wright suggests are “discouraged workers.” Through two tracks – one for C-suite executives and the other for directors and managers – attendees will engage with thinking partners and subject-matter experts for open dialogues designed to frame actionable strategies that can be deployed within companies and across the sector.

Learn more and register here. Still need a hotel room? Contact [email protected].

• AI in WFD
• Data Centers and Energy Workforce Development
• Inclusive Companies. Inclusive Communities.
• Energy Educators
• Reentry Community Hiring
• Training and Development
• Troops to Energy Jobs
• Skills USA Challenges
• Workforce Development Maturity Model
• Workforce Planning and Data Analytics
• Workforce Policy Education

Sign up here to join.

President Trump last week signed Executive Order, “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.” This EO calls for a federal strategy to optimize workforce development programs, review all existing federal workforce programs, and align them with the demands of this Administration’s goal to reindustrialize the American economy. The order prioritizes equipping workers for skilled trades and high-demand occupations by streamlining existing programs, strengthening Registered Apprenticeships, and promoting transparency and accountability in training outcomes. The order directs the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to conduct a comprehensive review of federal programs, identify ineffective initiatives, and develop a plan to expand Registered Apprenticeships Programs.

Workforce policy remains a critical issue in this new Congress. While much remains to be seen as to legislation, we are likely to see movement related to WIOA, apprenticeships, and expanding pathways to employment. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Reauthorization has been due for a few years now, and Rep. Tim Walberg, R-MI, Chairman House Committee on Education and Labor, has indicated this will be a priority for this Congress. Senator Bill Cassidy R-LA, Chairman Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, has been ambiguous on his intentions to push anything through the Senate. The line between workforce development and wrap around services has blurred for some congressional leaders, leading congressional members to view these efforts as “social safety nets” and thus leading to less support among the GOP. Alternatively, gaining more traction in this new congress and the Trump Administration is the emphasis on Registered Apprenticeships Programs (RAPs). While specific legislation on this topic is unlikely, we will continue to see an emphasis on alternative pathways, RAPs, and stronger pathways between education and employment.

House’s Education & Workforce Committee’s Reconciliation Bill, released last night, expecting markups today, included a long sought after bipartisan provision that would expand Pell Grant eligibility to short-term training programs (8-15 weeks) and is dubbed “Workforce Pell Grants.” Read more.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact [email protected].

ComEd Celebrates 54 New Lineworkers Completing Apprenticeship Program.

March 17, 2025– From building their physical endurance to being able to climb utility poles to honing their technical knowledge of electrical equipment, these graduates are part of more than 1,000 who joined ComEd as entry-level workers since a 2018 agreement was signed with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 15.

Ameren Missouri celebrates Natural Gas Utility Worker’s Day

March 17, 2025– Ameren Missouri officials hosted their Natural Gas Utility Worker’s Day at their Operation Center in Columbia where apprentices become natural gas journeymen.

Consumers Energy Grows Workforce

March 17, 2025– Consumers Energy is fostering the next generation of workers to help keep the lights on for Michiganders by supporting workforce development and training. Over the past year Consumers Energy either hired or promoted over 100 employees in the Journey Electric Lines team.

Amy Spiller: A salute to Duke Energy’s Natural Gas Utility Workers on their day

March 18, 2025– Amy Spiller, President of Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky, write a tribute to the Gas Utility Workers on Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day.

Clean tech jobs are booming. Here’s how many Georgians work in the sector

March 18, 2025– More than 82,000 Georgians worked in the clean tech industry at the end of 2024, according to a new report by the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy. “The clean energy sector is growing at twice the rate of the overall economy,” said Ryan Evans, executive director for the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy. “And Georgia is a leader in harnessing the economic benefits of that growth.”

Secretary of Labor Meets with NECA CEO

March 19, 2025– On March 19, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer met with NECA CEO David Long to discuss the gold standard apprenticeship program, expanding the workforce, promoting worker safety, and ensuring regulatory policies don’t hinder NECA contractors’ growth.

PSEG Long Island celebrates its engineers

March 20, 2025– This year PSEG’s Engineers Week theme was “Design Your Future,” and that’s precisely what their engineers do at PSEG Long Island. In addition to celebrating their current engineers, PSEG also uses this opportunity to raise awareness for the breadth of careers available at PSEG and in the engineering field.

IRA repeal would increase energy costs, hurt jobs: Energy Innovation

March 24, 2025– Ending the IRA would also cost nearly 790,000 jobs in 2030 and reduce gross domestic product by more than $160 billion, mainly as the result of fewer clean energy manufacturing and construction projects, according to Energy Innovation Policy & Technology.

Duke Energy Commits $600,000 to North Carolina Community Colleges for Energy Workforce Training

March 25, 2025– Schools will use the money for teaching expenses, equipment, training materials, and outreach programs. They’re also hoping to bring more diverse students into line work training. The Forward Fund offers interest-free loans to students in short-term programs. The money helps cover basic needs like transportation and childcare. Students only start repaying once they’re earning enough.

Lineworkers honored at Georgia State Capitol for Hurricane Helene response

March 25, 2025– “A lineworker’s job is never done, and today we’re honored to join with Senator Kennedy and state leaders to celebrate the unwavering commitment and sacrifice of all the lineworkers across the state who diligently serve us each and every day,” said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. “The response to Hurricane Helene was truly a time when every Georgian came together and we rose to the challenge as a state at every level. We appreciate the continued leadership and support of our state’s elected officials for our teams in the field, who are truly heroes who stand ready to respond no matter what. They are always here for Georgia.”

Xcel Energy Recognized As One Of The World’s Most Ethical Companies For Sixth Year In A Row

March 25, 2025– This distinction places Xcel Energy among just seven energy companies in the United States and 136 organizations worldwide to receive this honor in 2024. Ethisphere’s rigorous selection process is based on its proprietary Ethics Quotient®, which assesses companies on more than 240 factors. At Xcel Energy, employees embrace the company’s core values—Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, and Safe—to foster a culture of integrity, responsibility, and excellence.

Entergy Mississippi launches tech major scholarships program

March 28, 2025– Entergy Mississippi launched the Power Your Future Scholarship program. The program is designed to support current college undergraduates pursuing eligible technology majors who plan to further their education at designated select Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) or minority-serving institutions within Mississippi. Selected recipients will receive a $5,000 award, with up to 20 scholarships available.

National Grid’s scholarship program supports future electric workers amid rising demand

March 28, 2025– The National Grid Electrical Worker Scholarship covers tuition, books, tools, and offers a mentorship with a national grid employee. The need for skilled electric workers is critical as electricity demand increases. National Grid will be investing more than $4 billion in its upstate New York electric transmission system through 2030. The upgrades will create about 1,700 jobs, making recruitment for new electric workers a priority for the utility.

Tennessee Valley Authority Boosts STEM Education with $10,000 in Grants to West Side Elementary and Elizabethton High School

April 14, 2025– This initiative is part of a record-breaking $1.5 million distributed across Tennessee’s TVA region in 2025 to drive forward innovative classroom projects in science, technology, engineering, and math.

ALLETE recognized for commitment to women in leadership roles

April 15, 2025– ALLETE was named an Honor Roll Company of Special Distinction in the 2024 Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership.

AES Ohio honors lineworkers for National Appreciation Day on April 18

April 15, 2025– AES Ohio is set to commemorate National Lineworker Appreciation Day on April 18, a day dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of lineworkers in ensuring the safe and reliable delivery of electricity to communities. The company, employing 130 lineworkers and line technicians, oversees more than 17,000 miles of transmission, distribution, and underground electrical lines.

Consumers Energy says there’s a ‘strong need for line workers’

April 17, 2025– An ice storm in Northern Michigan a few weeks ago showed just how critical line workers are across the state. Consumers Energy is one of several utilities that serves the region.

Alabama Power hosted Lineman Appreciation Day event

April 17, 2025– Alabama Power Company and state officials came together to recognize lineworkers.

National Lineworker Appreciation Day: Duke Energy crewmen recount Helene devastation

April 18, 2025– Two Rowan County-based Duke Energy lineworkers, Tim Overcash and Matt Josey, did not know exactly what was in store when they ventured into the mountains of western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene last year. All they knew was that what they would find would not be pretty, but that did not stop them from answering Duke Energy’s call for volunteers to go work to repair the devastated region.

Duke Energy to provide $150,000 in grants to area nonprofits to support workforce development

April 18, 2025– Duke Energy and its Foundation announced a $150,000 grant funding opportunity for southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky nonprofit organizations that address the region’s workforce development training needs.