Training for a new career? You may want to consider the energy sector. Job growth has been strong, yet the need remains for more skilled workers.
The United States Energy & Employment Report 2023 documents that overall energy jobs grow 3.8% from 2021 to 2022, while clean energy jobs rose 3.9%. This was slightly higher than overall employment, which was up 3.1% during the same time period.
President Abigail Ross Hopper of the Solar Energy Industries Association told a SEIA Conference audience recently in Las Vegas, “As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, the US Solar and storage industry will add $565 billion to our economy over the next decade, creating another half a million jobs along the way.”
At this fall’s Tennessee Valley Solar Conference, panelists discussed the need for building and expanding a skilled workforce for solar and related energy industries. What are the newest round of manufacturers like NOVONIX Anode Materials in Chattanooga looking for? Director of Anode Technology Harrison Kreafle told that conference audience, “You need to be able to think critically, have an eye for safety and an attention for detail.”
The government energy report showed employers expected even more growth in everything from fuels to the energy efficiency sector from 2022 to 2023. It also notes that veterans make up 9% of the energy workforce in the US, nearly double their representation in the overall economy.
More than a quarter million people nationwide already work in the solar and energy storage industry alone, according to the National Solar Job Census.
Anne Brock is marketing coordinator for SolarAlliance.com, which offers start-to-finish solar project management, energy evaluations and even continuing education Solar 101 classes for some professionals. Solar Alliance is a member of TenneSEIA. She can be reached at 865-221-8349.