Pinehurst Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 25, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09)and Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) introduced the Widening Opportunities to Recapture Key Energy Roles (WORKER) Act. The bipartisan legislation will supercharge America’s energy workforce by urging the Department of Energy to award grants to stakeholders prioritizing education and training for energy and manufacturing jobs. The bill would also prioritize educating and training workers from underrepresented groups, including minorities, women, and veterans.

“If we are going to unleash American energy and keep our energy industry competitive, we must have the workforce to do it,” said Rep. Hudson. “The WORKER Act prioritizes education and training for energy-related jobs when awarding grants—key investments to support American workers, lower energy costs, and increase energy independence.” 

“Texas is home to hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in the energy sector that drive local economies across our state,” said Rep. Veasey. “As members of Congress, we need to make sure sectors like this can meet the rapid growth and connect highly skilled workers to fill those jobs. These good-paying jobs with family-sustaining benefits are key to building and retaining a diverse workforce across the energy industry, especially as we look to ensure there are opportunities for everyone to work on important projects across the country.”

Background: 

America’s energy sector is growing rapidly, but employers are having a difficult time finding highly skilled workers to fill those jobs. However, at the same time the current labor force cannot meet demand due to a lack of experience, training, and technical skills. 

The Widening Opportunities to Recapture Key Energy Roles (WORKER) Act will tackle this ongoing challenge by providing inclusive support to groups of people that have too often been left out of the transition to a 21st-century energy economy. The bill would create a nationwide energy workforce development program to invest in improved education and training for energy-related industries. The program would specifically focus on institutions and employers that recruit religious and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, socioeconomically disadvantaged persons, current and former foster children, formerly incarcerated individuals, and unemployed energy workers.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Issues: Energy

Original source can be found here.