NEPA Energy Industry Partnership -

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Welcome to the Energy Industry Partnership Website

The mission of the Energy Industry Partnership is to educate the general public about the energy industry, provide advanced skills training for the current workforce, and attract and retain a new generation of workers to help meet growing industry demands.

The Energy Industry Partnership provides a forum where challenges, goals, and sustainability efforts can be discussed and acted upon.  The Energy Industry Partnership will find ways to address current and future needs of the energy industry in our area.

Energy Literacy in NEPA

Through the Energy Industry Partnership’s collaboration with industry leaders and educators, outreach events are being held at elementary, middle school and high school levels to show scientific applications, career applications and how energy impacts our lives every day.  These hands-on presentations  showcase the careers available in the industry and the skills needed to pursue them.

Further, the Energy Industry Partnership will highlight all of the educational initiatives around the energy industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  Highlighting these programs will bring public awareness to the existence of energy industries in the area and the availability of programs designed to provide the skills and training to be part of solar, wind, coal, water, nuclear and electric energy companies.

Creating Collaboration

The Energy Industry Partnership will provide a clearing house for the exchange of information between industry partners; between government funding sources and industry; between energy industry and other industries in Northeastern Pennsylvania with compatible needs; and between all sources of training and education and the industry leaders.

Collaboration will be stressed as the Energy Industry Partnership works with the PA CareerLink® offices, Workforce Investment Boards, and other economic development organizations.  Here the focus will be on replacing the retiring workforce with qualified and trained employees.

Meet Our Energy Industry Needs

Energy is a growing field.  Alternative energy sources will create an even stronger demand for the types of employees also needed in legacy energy industries. Technicians, electricians, welders and chemists will be needed. So will installers, analysts, information systems specialists, environmentalists, line workers, power plant employees among others.  The need is here today.

The Energy Industry Partnership is ready to meet the challenge.

 The energy industry is facing a crisis. In a recent USDOL report, industry leaders pointed out four major challenges:

  • Image and Recruitment. Negative stereotypes, such as tough working conditions, inadequate safety standards, and the lack of advancement, prevent many students from exploring careers in the energy industry.
  • Retirement. The average age of the energy industry workforce is 50, and the average age at retirement is 55. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the energy industry will experience a 50% reduction in its workforce when more than 500,000 employees retire.
  • Education and Training Programs. An antiquated curriculum yields an unprepared workforce.  Graduates do not have the advanced technical skills necessary for working in today’s energy industry.
  • Skill Development. Fundamental math and science skills are lacking in today’s workforce.  Companies spend a considerable amount of money training incumbent workers who do not have skills required to adapt to ever changing technologies.