Full Title: Energy Sector Workforce Diversity, Access, Inclusion, and the Policy Case for Investment: Recommendations for State Energy Office Action
Author(s): Sandy Fazeli
Publisher(s): National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO),
Publication Date: September 7, 2021
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding, the U.S. energy sector has been an engine for economic growth and job creation, boasting millions of workers, with opportunities for employment in nearly every county of the United States, and experiencing faster growth than the rest of the economy.
Yet, demographically speaking, the energy workforce is not representative of the communities and markets it serves. Its low levels of ethnic, racial, and gender diversity are a matter of concern not only for employers, who stand to lose revenue to more diverse competitors, but also to policymakers, for whom a qualified, diverse, and innovative workforce is crucial to meeting energy climate, and economic goals. Recent research suggests that the shortfalls are not only in the demographic diversity of the labor pool (including factors such as age, cultural background, physical ability, race/ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, professional background, skillsets, and other identifiers), but also in the ability of underrepresented groups to access energy occupations and, once employed in the energy field, to be included in workplace decisions, management structures, and opportunities for advancement.
Through a multi-pronged approach that elevates the voices of historically underserved communities, draws on partnerships with minority-serving institutions and organizations, and acknowledges and addresses deeply-rooted resource disparities, state energy policy can be a tool to advance greater economic prosperity for all and, with it, mobilize the entire U.S. economy and population in the fight against climate change. In this light, as states and the nation look to rebuild, recover, and address the climate emergency, the energy sector can be a source not only of job creation, but also of long-term career advancement, entrepreneurship, educational attainment, and wealth building for both communities and individuals.