House Committee on Small Business Hearing: Workforce Development for Small Businesses in the Clean Energy Economy

On October 29th, the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development held a hearing titled, Creating the Clean Energy Workforce, to discuss ways to address the ‘skills gap’ in the energy efficiency and clean energy sectors. As stated by witness Mark Jackson, Vice President of Energy Solutions at The Community Housing Partners, the success of energy efficiency “programs and policies relies on a robust and well-trained energy efficiency workforce.”

Witness Ed Gilliland, Senior Director of The Solar Foundation, stated that 43 percent of solar industry employers in states with emerging solar markets, such as Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi, reported it was difficult to find qualified employees. For the energy efficiency sector, over 80 percent of employers agreed it was difficult to find qualified employees, according to Jackson. The supply of qualified clean energy and energy efficiency employees is falling short of the demand.

To meet the demand, Jackson discussed the Weatherization Assistance Program which trains and credentials energy efficiency employees in 26 states. The program ensures that employees have adequate experience and qualifications for a job in the clean energy or energy efficiency. Similarly, witness Neil James, Vice President of Operations and Maintenance at Apex Clean Energy, urged Congress to support the Wind Workforce Modernization and Training Act of 2019 (S.2415), which would create a grant program to train wind technicians.

In addition to technical training, military service prepares employees to work in the clean energy and energy efficiency sectors, according to Apex Clean Energy. James explained that skills veterans develop during service are similar to those required in clean energy jobs. Apprenticeship programs, such as Helmets to Hardhats and high school pre-apprenticeship programs for underserved populations, have been effective in training employees for these jobs, according to witness Jason Wardrip, Business Manager of the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council. 

Subcommittee Chairman Jason Crow (D-CO) also voiced his support of apprenticeship programs to train and prepare coal workers for clean energy jobs. In his written statement, he explains, “we need to train Americans of all ages to do these jobs. This should include transitioning the current fossil fuel workforce to ensure that they continue to receive a paycheck, health care, pensions, and other necessities from an energy job.”

In 2018, over 3,000,000 people in the United States worked in the energy efficiency sector, and 611,000 people worked in zero-emissions technology industries. As Gilliland stated “training and hiring challenges are costly, and are especially felt by small businesses.” Closing the skills gap will be essential for the success of small businesses engaged in the clean energy economy.

For more information on skills training for jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency, check out EESI’s recent briefings, Energy Efficiency Jobs are Green Jobs and How Do Communities Ensure Federal Energy Programs Help Those Most in Need?

 

Author: Savannah Bertrand