
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO) announced Catalyst Connection, MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Association for Iron & Steel Technology, Cascade Energy, LLC and CelSian Glass USA will join the Industrial Sustainability, Energy Efficiency, and Decarbonization (ISEED) Collaborative.
"Of the 4 million new manufacturing jobs needed by 2030, half risk going unfilled due to the increasing specialization and expertise that these new jobs will require," says Dr. Avi Shultz, director of IEDO. "The ISEED Collaborative strives to bridge this gap by providing workforce training and upskilling activities that prepare existing workers—and attract a diverse mix of new workers—to the industrial jobs of today and the future."
Key takeaways:
- Through this $3.6 million initiative, selected groups will develop and expand existing programs that support the American workforce.
- The six organizations selected span diverse areas of expertise, and each have key touchpoints for reaching existing and emerging members of the workforce. Over a two-year period, each organization will receive DOE funding, technical support, and guidance to pilot and expand programs that can be scaled regionally or nationally.
- These six organizations will further ISEED's goals to lower workforce gaps and barriers, ensure all program content is accessible, grow the participation of underrepresented groups, and integrate energy efficiency principles into industry-focused training programs.