September 2025 Newsletter

On September 23rd, CEWD kicked off PowHER Hours— an authentic, engaging webinar series designed for women exploring opportunities in the skilled trades in energy.

Our first session, “What did we get into?”, was led by Concetta Defa, a longtime IBEW member and CEWD team member. She was joined by powerhouse tradeswomen including:

• Shannon Skinner, President, IBEW 396, Journeyman Lineman, Foreman
• Lechana Rankins, President, Laborers Local 99, General Foreman, Days & Zimmerman
• Michelle Gianelli, Business Agent, Operating Engineers Local 3

These leaders shared real-life stories, lessons learned, and powerful advice for women considering energy careers. The audience was fully engaged, asking thoughtful questions such as:

• “Do any jobs in energy train you while you work?”
• “What is the one thing you wish you were supported in during your apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship?”
• “What’s the first step you recommend to get started in union work, and how do I know which trade is right for me?”

The conversation was candid, inspiring, and full of actionable insights—proof that women are not just welcome in the energy sector, they are essential.

Please join us and spread the word for our next PowHER Hour on October 6th 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, 5 pm MT, and 4 pm PT. For more information, please contact Julie Strzempko, [email protected].

The Energy Connector is a digital matchmaking tool helps connect educators and industry professionals to support the adoption of energy curriculum and the Energy and Natural Resources Career Cluster.

Matchmaking begins in November — don’t miss out!

We’ve shared a lot about the industry action plan to have energy curriculum and the Energy and Natural Resources Career Cluster adopted. We’ve told you about extensive resources for educators and industry. Now we are asking you to prioritize engagement with policymakers within your state and at the federal level. Learn how to engage with your State Department of Education here, and customize correspondence to them here. Talk with your elected officials and let them know how they can support connecting students with energy curriculum in ways that have never been available, offering them this one-pager to guide their learning journey.

77 million Americans with criminal records remain overlooked—even as 1.3 million actively search for work. This exclusion carries a heavy price, costing the U.S. economy an estimated $80 billion each year.

Companies that hire justice-impacted individuals report higher retention, increased loyalty, and lower turnover rates. In fact, justice-impacted hires are 13% less likely to leave their roles. Research has also found that HR satisfaction with these hires reaches as high as 83%.

Source – The Last Mile: Paving the Road to Success

CEWD’s Troops to Energy Jobs program recently participated in a virtual Hiring Our Heroes Energy Industry Career Event. We spoke to more than two dozen veterans during the event about careers in the energy industry. Approximately 30 veterans/transitioning service members have already uploaded their resume and detailed information on our Veterans Database as a result of this event. We will take part in a follow up webinar on December 11, 2025 , highlighting the many careers within the energy industry. Want to learn more about how your company can better connect with individuals with military service? Contact Rosa Schmidt at [email protected].

• It’s Time to Invest in Workforce Development the Way We Do R&D, Ford From the Road (via National Fund for Workforce Solutions)
• The Future of Essential Jobs in Core Infrastructure Sectors, Deloitte
• The Expertise Upheaval, How Generative AI’s Impact on Learning Curves Will Reshape the Workplace, Harvard Business School Managing the Future of Work, in collaboration with Burning Glass Institute