The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is partnering with a number of federal government agencies and utility industry groups to form the Utility Industry Workforce Initiative, a multi-year effort dedicated to facilitating the recruitment, training, and retention of exiting service members, veterans and their spouses into employment in the utility industry. According to the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD), the electric utility industry will need to replace almost half of its current workforce over the next decade.
“Our industry is facing significant retirements of our existing workforce, and we are working together to develop solutions and approaches to identify a talented, high-skilled, and innovative industry workforce for the future,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “The leadership abilities, mission focus, commitment to safety, and team orientation that military service members consistently demonstrate are exactly the skills our industry needs in its workers. We are pleased to work together with our government partners on the Utility Industry Workforce Initiative with the goal to provide veterans a Path to rewarding energy careers.”
In addition to EEI and CEWD, other participants in the Initiative include the Departments of Energy, Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs; the Nuclear Energy Institute; the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; and the American Gas Association.