6 Organizations Join US Green Workforce Collaborative – CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

---

The most critical resource needed in the ongoing transition to electric vehicles isn’t lithium, silicon, or nickel — it’s an adequate workforce. Training people for the green industrial workforce needed for the 21st century industrial revolution is critical, needed in high volume, and hard to get and keep at the pace needed.

One piece of good news in this regard concerns a US government program aimed at helping to develop this workforce. That program is the Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, and Decarbonization (ISEED) Collaborative, and the news is that 6 organizations just joined the collaborative.

“Through this $3.6 million initiative, selected groups will develop and expand existing programs that support the American workforce, providing more pathways into the industrial sector, expanding energy efficiency practices, and increasing the health and prosperity of Americans,” the US Department of Energy (DOE) writes.

“Currently, the industrial sector enables more than 21 million stable, well-paying jobs—supporting communities across America and contributing $4.8 trillion to the nation’s economy. As the industrial sector evolves to keep pace with national and global markets, the demand for skilled workers is rising rapidly.”

In particular, millions of jobs are needed in manufacturing alone in the coming few years. Job development and training programs need to be implemented around the country in that time. “Of the 4 million new manufacturing jobs needed by 2030, half risk going unfilled due to the increasing specialization and expertise that these new jobs will require,” said Dr. Avi Shultz, director of IEDO. “The ISEED Collaborative strives to bridge this gap by providing workforce training and upskilling activities that prepare existing workers—and attract a diverse mix of new workers—to the industrial jobs of today and the future.”

It’s the end of one presidential administration, and the beginning of one that is likely to care much less about green industrial workforce development. It’s good to see one more program announcement on this topic at the end of Biden’s time in office.

Also noteworthy is that the selected organizations get more than just money. “Over a two-year period, each organization will receive DOE funding, technical support, and guidance to pilot and expand programs that can be scaled regionally or nationally,” the DOE writes. “The ISEED steering committee will play a critical role in providing technical support and guidance. In coordination with IEDO, members of the steering committee include experts from the National Energy Technologies Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

“Focusing on three primary areas of technology—energy efficiency, industrial electrification, and alternative fuels and energy sources—ISEED provides support for learners of all levels and empowers them to continue building the skills needed to bolster the nation’s manufacturing industry. This critical programming gives incoming and incumbent workers the knowledge needed to keep pace with innovative tools and technology, as well as making it easier for workers to transition across specific industries.”

Here are more details on the 6 organizations just selected and project descriptions for them:

Catalyst Connection

• Project Description: Catalyst Connection seeks to develop the “WE CAN Future PA” project, which will expand industrial training across southwestern Pennsylvania by adding next-generation technology modules to existing programs, deploying professional certifications, utilizing a new Learning Lab, and placing skilled workers into the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania industrial innovation program, aiming to train 300+ workers and support 1,200 companies over 2 years.

MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium

• Project Description: MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium seeks to expand its solar and manufacturing energy diversity workforce initiatives, establishing three training centers at minority-serving institutions to provide 90 diverse students from disadvantaged communities with industry mentorship, job placement support, skills training, and certifications like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the Energy Industry Fundamental credential 2.0.

Society of Manufacturing Engineers

• Project Description: This project aims to develop an industrial innovation curriculum for small-to-medium-sized manufacturers in Michigan, with the potential for nationwide scaling. The initiative involves consolidating existing sustainability curricula, identifying gaps specific to small-to-medium-sized manufacturers, creating new materials, piloting training, and making revisions based on feedback.

Association for Iron & Steel Technology

• Project Description: This project aims to expand the pipeline for skilled trades in the steel industry, focusing on workforce development in underserved areas to support energy efficiency and sustainability while collaborating with major steel producers to strengthen the talent pool and address future workforce gaps.

Cascade Energy

• Project Description: Cascade Energy, LLC aims to scale and enhance its industrial refrigeration training by evolving its current curriculum into a blended, on-demand learning model, increasing accessibility and reach while supporting DOE’s strategic objectives for food-processing workers and employers. They also plan to train 350 workers over 2 years.

CelSian Glass

• Project Description: This project will implement three specialized training courses including Hands-On Hot Repair, Oxy-Fuel Furnace Operations, and Sustainable Furnace Operations to improve energy efficiency in glass-melting furnaces, with assessments tracking energy efficiency and operator career progression, and the courses becoming part of a national training platform for glass manufacturing in 2025.