Piper O’Keefe, Policy Analyst, U.S. Department of Energy
Goal: Understand workforce-related initiatives taking place at the Department of Energy, specifically the Battery Workforce Initiative.
The Office of Energy Jobs focuses on supporting the creation of jobs in the energy sector, particularly jobs that guarantee high standards and the right to collective bargaining. Energy Jobs works collaboratively across the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and with other federal agencies and regulatory bodies to ensure the successful transition to a zero-emissions economy while creating meaningful job opportunities for all Americans.
A pivotal component of the successful transition of the American energy sector is ensuring that job creation, job quality, and equitable access to jobs are taken into consideration in DOE funding, initiatives, and priorities. The Office of Energy Jobs leads efforts to align energy workforce development programs with our jobs goals, support DOE’s engagement with labor unions, manages the 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board, and publishes the annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report.
Battery Workforce Initiative: The Battery Workforce Initiative is a marquis workforce effort for DOE that brings together broad industry stakeholders, including employers and labor unions, to develop consensus on standards, skills, and training required to support the rapid growth of the battery supply chain in the U.S. It is a collaborative project between Energy Jobs and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.