2023 AGENDA
Each of CEWD’s 2023 Regional Meetings will offer the same agenda, though each will welcome
different presenters and unique conversations among program participants.
The meeting times listed
below are local to the meeting venue.
Last Agenda Update: 01/26/2023 – 11:59 A.M. ET
Day One: Trending Topics in Workforce Development
1:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.
Welcome, Safety Message, and Introductions
1:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
The Future of Work – What Can We Expect on the Workforce Landscape?
This session will explore the future of work – technology and automation, employee demographics,
community engagement, and other factors – that will define workforce and workforce development
issues over the next three to five years. We will learn what other industries are doing to tackle their
workforce challenges, allowing program participants to consider what’s most effective and what’s
missing in the energy industry’s workforce strategies.
2:30 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
Signature Dialogue: How Do We Get Our Workforce to Reflect the
Communities We Serve?
Many companies are committed to having their workforce reflect the communities they serve. What
does this mean in practice? How are companies finding success in this quest? What partnerships have
proven effective in delivering on this objective? This session will offer a blend of best practice
exploration, group think on how to be more effective in this space, and a review of potential
collaborative partners including Job Corps, United Way, Urban League, NAACP, etc. Attendees will
explore how there can be more industrywide collaboration on this objective.
3:30 P.M. – 3:45 P.M.
Break
3:45 P.M. – 4:45 P.M.
The Student Connection: Effective and Creative Partnerships Between
Educators and Businesses
With growing competition for talent and the importance of having students exposed to energy careers
early and often in their educational journey, businesses and educators are getting increasingly creative
in their partnerships. This session will offer presentations from those who are doing innovative work to
ensure students are engaging with dynamic opportunities in energy. After the spotlighted “best
practices, participants will be asked to add to the session by sharing information on their own model
programs.
4:45 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.
Think Tank Dialogue: How to Involve Operations, HR, IT, and Other Company
Leaders in Making Workforce Development a Corporate Effort
For some companies, workforce development is an HR topic, while for others, it is a company-wide
priority, involving cross-functional teams. Many would argue companies need to fully engage from top
to bottom to effectively drive change and adopt the practices, culture, and planning essential to develop
the talent pipeline. Attendees will be asked to share winning formulas for companywide adoption of
workforce development priorities and explore how we can ensure the right voices are part of this
important industry-dialogue.
Evening
Nighttime Networking
Each Regional Meeting will offer an opportunity for participants to continue the day’s networking
through optional events. Location specific information will be provided to registered participants.
Day Two: Answers and Insight to Manage Workforce Development Priorities
8:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.
Coffee and Conversation
9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
CEWD Dialogue
This session will overview key initiatives on CEWD’s strategic agenda, spotlight resources you may not
know exist, and ask attendees to share ideas on how CEWD can best provide workforce development
leadership on issues important within the energy sector.
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Learning Lab and Success Showcase: Discussion of What’s Working (and
What’s Not)
During this session, participants will engage in facilitated conversation on some of the hottest topics
within the workforce development arena. Attendees will be asked to share successes, frustrations,
questions, and curiosities in the following areas.
• What’s working in recruiting and retaining women, veterans, returning workers, and low-income applicants?
• What’s working in connecting with students (and their parents)?
• What’s working with internship programs?
• What’s working with ERGs?
• How are you addressing retention?
• What are your long-term expectations with hybrid and remote work? How are today’s practices impacting corporate culture and professional development?
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Lunch
1:00 P.M. – 1:45 P.M.
Maximizing the Talents and Experiences of Veterans
This session, sponsored by Troops to Energy Jobs, will provide an overview of leading practices and
policies companies should consider leveraging to obtain the full value veterans provide to their
employers. After the presentation, attendees are invited to share questions and ideas about veteran
employment.
1:45 P.M. – 3:00 / 5:00 P.M.
Consortia Strategies and Conclusion
The Regional Meetings will end with a focus on the area’s state energy workforce consortia. In some
locations, conversation will address whether now is the time to start a regionalized action-focused
group, while others will provide updates on determined strategies for 2023, and the western meeting
will build upon the start-up work they are doing for the new consortia. Note: The Western Regional
Meeting will adjourn at 5:00 local time.