The Clean Technology and Energy sector is one of CCW’s 10 high-demand sectors. For each of these high-demand sectors, a CCW Sector Leader develops and supports the implementation of a strategy to meet the workforce needs of employers in their sector through targeted expansion and development of career connected learning programs.

The CCW Sector Leader for Clean Technology and Energy is the CleanTech Alliance, in partnership with the Pacific NW Center of Excellence for Clean Energy. (Primary contact: Mel Clark, President and CEO of CleanTech Alliance, mel@cleantechalliance.org)

Employers in the Clean Technology and Energy sector share these themes related to workforce development:

  • Engineers of all disciplines are needed. Growth in our sector and laws requiring clean energy adoption will create dramatically increased demand. Smaller firms struggle to compete for talent because demand continues to raise salaries.
  • Employers want a diverse workforce and need help reaching women and underrepresented groups. Employers repeatedly tell us that outreach must happen with grade school age students. By high school, girls and BIPOC students have already aligned with other career paths. Women and BIPOC students are not maintaining STEM and engineer majors, though employers seek to hire them. Prep for STEM success, and additional slots at state universities should both occur.
  • Technicians of all kinds will have growing demand as new energy projects are sited and approved. These programs need equipment, aid with and pathways to enrollment, diversification, and support to manage the difficulty predicting exactly when projects will be ready and when students should be graduating.
  • Rural areas continue to face additional barriers to attracting talent.

Employers in the Clean Technology and Energy sector indicate these occupations are high-priority for the expansion or development of education and training programs to meet their hiring needs:

  • Engineer (all disciplines)
  • Electrician
  • Technicians
    • HVAC Technician
    • Electric Vehicle (EV) Technician
    • Solar Photovoltaic Technician/Installer

Interested in learning more about the career connected learning programs that can help meet these needs? You can see a brief overview here. Take a look at the full 2024 Clean Technology and Energy sector strategy for more detailed information and recommendations.

For more information, please reach out to the Sector Leader using the contact information above. You can also access the original 2023 Clean Technology and Energy sector strategy here, which provides more detailed data and information about the sector.