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Emerging Workforce Trends in the U.S. Energy Mining Industries

Emerging Workforce Trends in the U.S. Energy Mining Industries

Full Title: Emerging Workforce Trends in the U.S. Energy Mining Industries
Author(s): National Research Council of the National Academies of Science
Publisher(s): National Research Council of the National Academies of Science
Publication Date: August 1, 2015
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):

Energy and mineral resources are essential for the nation’s fundamental functions, its economy, and its security. Energy in the United States comes from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and renewable energies, all with established commercial industry bases. Mineral resources include fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium), and nonfuel minerals. Nonfuel minerals are essential for the existence and operation of products and services used by people every day and are provided by various sectors of the mining industry. The United States is the largest electric power producer, with about 1,100 GW of generating capacity, serving the world’s largest economy. The overall value added to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011 by major industries that consumed processed nonfuel mineral materials was $2.2 trillion. A skilled workforce is essential to supply the energy and mineral needs of the nation. This report examines the energy and mining workforce trends and issues, and proposes approaches to address crucial, emerging needs.

Numerous reports have discussed the changing demographics of the U.S. workforce and the potential impacts of the widespread retirement of the generation born between 1946 and 1964 (the “baby boomers”) on many workforce sectors. The industries that support the production of energy and mineral resources, including the institutions that train their workers, and conduct research for, or regulate these industries, are impacted by these changes. These industries also are responding to increased demand for energy and products derived from minerals as the domestic and global populations increase.

Recognizing the importance of understanding the state of the U.S. energy and mining workforce to ensure a trained and skilled workforce of sufficient size for the future, the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Energy Technology Laboratory contracted with the National Research Council (NRC) to perform a study of the emerging workforce trends in the U.S. energy and mining industries. Accordingly, the NRC convened a committee of experts to perform the study and to prepare this report on its findings. The study’s statement of task is presented in Box S.1.

All of the energy industries in the statement of task contribute to satisfying the nation’s energy needs. The related area of geologic carbon sequestration, involving the subsurface storage of carbon dioxide (CO2), is part of the larger area of carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS). Within CCUS, technologies are being developed to minimize CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and to provide
CO2 to enhance oil production from mature fi elds. The committee addressed the potential workforce for CCUS to cover both sequestration and CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR).

A view into the future of the workforce is important for avoiding possible disruptions in the supply of energy and mineral resources and for making well informed decisions and plans for a workforce that can continue to meet national needs.

All statements and/or propositions in discussion prompts are meant exclusively to stimulate discussion and do not represent the views of OurEnergyPolicy.org, its Partners, Topic Directors or Experts, nor of any individual or organization. Comments by and opinions of Expert participants are their own.

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