the energy workforce within New York State which will make the State’s energy infrastructure system more self-reliant and robust by addressing impending and long-term labor shortages.
Create a workforce development center with utilities
The State should facilitate the development of a regional workforce development center to train the next generation of technical and operations workers for the utilities industry, and more broadly, the clean energy industry, by working with NYPA, NYSERDA, and Investor Owned Utilities. Envisioned as a training center for utilities, and other non-utility energy companies, with modified curricula and equipment tailored to each, this center would be designed to reach out and serve the regional business community, especially manufacturing companies that could share training on the advanced manufacturing equipment and techniques that are critical to global competitiveness with other countries and states. NYPA should take the lead to identify potential locations and develop a business plan for this center in 2013.
Expand energy career training and placement programs
New York State career training and placement programs should be expanded to meet the demands of the energy sector during both normal and emergency operations.
Energy jobs require highly skilled workers with years of training, so the investment in training programs should begin immediately to account for future needs. NYSERDA has funded a statewide network of clean energy training providers that offer courses and certifications for energy efficiency and renewable energy jobs.
Creating a larger network of training programs and centers will help form a foundation for the continued development of the energy workforce for years to come. SUNY and CUNY, New York State Department of Labor, NYSERDA, and industry groups should aim to put these programs in place by the end of 2015. These programs should be continually reviewed, updated and revised to remain relevant in the changing technological environment.
Promote awareness of the need for skilled energy workers
Coinciding with the development of these educational programs, the State should promote awareness of our need for skilled energy workers. This can be done through the ongoing work of NYSERDA in different regions of the State. Students, educators, parents and non-energy laborers should be informed of the opportunities for employment in the State’s energy sector starting in 2014.
Coordinate workforce development among all stakeholders within the energy sector
Coordination among State agencies, education institutions and businesses will play a vital role in the success of developing the State’s long-term energy workforce.
Energy and labor organizations should collaborate to establish a comprehensive plan that will be updated to reflect sector trends every one to five years. This plan should project trend development over a 20-year period, and be submitted to NYSERDA for distribution throughout the State.
Endnotes
1. NYSDEC. Climate Action Planning. 2012. http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/80930.html (accessed December 11, 2012).
2. Long Island Power Authority. Long Island Power Authority Update on Hurricane Sandy. November 19, 2012. http://www.lipower.org/
newscenter/pr/2012/111912-update.html.
3. Con Edison. Con Edison Wraps Restorations. November 12, 2012. http://www.coned.com/newsroom/news/pr20121112.asp.
4. Yee, V. "Lower Manhattan’s Recovery Is Patchy, With People Still Barred from Their Homes." New York Times, November 15, 2012.
5. Economic Regulation Authority Western Australia. "Western Australia State Underground Power Program." 2011.
6. National Infrastructure Advisory Council. "A Framework for Establishing Critical Infrastructure Resilience Goals." 2010.
7. The Lexington Institute. "Ensuring the Resilience of the U.S. Electrical Grid." 2012.
8. Severe Impact Resilience Task Force, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). "Severe Impact Resilience: Considerations and Recommendations." 2012.
9. NY ISO. "Power Trends 2012." 2012.
10. EPRI. “Estimating the Costs and Benefits of the Smart Grid”. EPRI 1022519. 2011
11. U.S. Energy Information Administration. "Smart Grid Legislative and Regulatory Policies and Case Studies." 2011.
12. Brookings Institution Energy Security Initiative. "Assessing the Role of Distributed Power Systems in the U.S. Power Sector." 2011.
13. NYSERDA.“Microgrids: An Assessment of the Value, Opportunities, and Barriers to Deployment in New York State.” 2010 14. EPRI. "Investigation of the Technical and Economic Feasibility of Micro-Grid Based Power Systems. EPRI 1003973. 2001.
15. EPRI. "Smart Grid Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Project Assessment. EPRI 1018945." 2011.
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17. Drake Landing Solar Community. 2012. http://www.dlsc.ca/.
18. Schmidt, T, and D Mangold. Status of Solar Thermal Seasonal Storage in Germany. Steinbeis Research Institute for Solar and Sustainable Thermal Energy Systems, 2006.
19. Wald, Matthew L. In New N.Y.U. Plant, a Collateral Carbon Benefit. January 21, 2011. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/in-new-n-y-u-plant-a-collaterial-carbon-benefit/.
20. Wald, Matthew L. How N.Y.U. Stayed (Partly) Warm and Lighted. November 5, 2012. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/05/how-n-y-u-stayed-partly-warm-and-lighted/.
21. New York University. NYU Switches on Green CoGen Plant and Powers Up for the Sustainable Future. January 21, 2011. http://www.
nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2011/01/21/nyu-switches-on-green-cogen-plant-and-powers-up-for-the-sustainable-future.html.
22. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development & International Energy Agency. "EV City Casebook." 2012.
23. International Transport Forum. "Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles: Made for Each Other?" 2012.
24. Suddath, Claire. "FedEx's Electric Vehicle Equipment." Bloomberg Businessweek, April 05, 2012.
25. Woody, Todd. "FedEx Delivers On Green Goals With Electric Trucks." Forbes, May 23, 2012.
26. The European Commission. "ICT and e-business impact in the energy supply industry." 2009.
27. Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. Data Spotlight: More Than 1 in 5 Utility Workers Are Retirement-Aged. http://www.
economicmodeling.com/2010/06/29/data-spotlight-more-than-1-in-5-utility-workers-are-retirement-aged/
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