Labor Demand in the Energy Sector Heats Up
From Workforce Developments
Another industry that’s poised for high labor demand is energy. I wrote about a projected shortage of line workers a while back, but concerns aren’t limited to that occupation. Whether you’re talking about jobs in traditional electrical utilities or the emerging new field of green energy, growing demand for electricity (check out the table below) combined with baby boomer retirements means jobs will be opening up. Here are two resources workforce development professionals may find useful in helping inform and direct job seekers to opportunities in the energy sector.
For old-fashioned energy companies, check out the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD). They have an interactive website where, in addition to the articles, videos, curricula and other materials you’ll find there, CEWD encourages you to add your own materials and best practices. It looks like there’s a fee to join, but you don’t need to be a member to access much of the info.
The Apollo Alliance focuses on green jobs and green energy, and their website has a wealth of information, including this recent report on “green collar” jobs. You can join the discussion on the Apollo blog.
In addition, WIRED Nation is currently setting up an Energy Regions section on its wiki, similar to its sections on Bioscience and Transportation/Distribution/Logistics. It will be yet another resource you’ll want to bookmark.
Energy Consumption Table: US Department of Energy
