Our Cleantech future faces a big hurdle: We don’t have enough talent.
The move away from fossil fuels will require one billion new appliances and cars to hit the market. And The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests more than 80,000 new electricians are needed every year to keep up with the “electrify everything” movement.
Cleaner, more sustainable energy options means big opportunities for job creation, said Cleantech entrepreneur Bill Nussey, who is now Partner at Engage and Tech Square Ventures.
“More than perhaps any other industry in history, [Clean Energy] requires every kind of job. Skilled labor, unskilled labor, union labor, and trade labor. It requires tons of PhDs from the best schools in the world, and it requires entrepreneurs that have the craziest longest [vision]. There has never been an industry where more diverse talent has been called for to be successful,” Nussey said during a recent Cleantech meetup in Atlanta.

Making The Transition
So is Georgia’s workforce ready for this transition to Cleantech?
Local startups like EnviroSpark are already on the case.
The fast-growing and venture-backed EV charging station startup in Atlanta has rolled out its Apprenticeship Program. The program is designed to help train employees on installing, maintaining, and repairing systems for our EV-heavy future.
Longstanding organizations are also working to ensure that the region has a strong Cleantech workforce.
On the manufacturing font, Georgia Quick Start provides customized job training opportunities around clean energy manufacturing. That has helped the state become a hub for solar, battery, and EV companies.
Organizations like Goodwill are also looking to help build a more resilient and sustainable workforce.
The nonprofit, in partnership with professional services giant Accenture, just announced the launch of The Goodwill Clean Tech Infrastructure Accelerator™ (CITA). The workforce training program is designed to help people get into the most in-demand, entry-level, clean energy jobs.
The first cohort, which launches in Metro Atlanta later this month, will look to enroll and prepare 250 people. The program will focus on EV supply equipment technicians jobs, according to Anna Roach, Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Courses will be offered at both North Georgia’s Goodwill locations and Atlanta Technical College’s campus.
Preparing the Georgia workforce for this Cleantech future isn’t just good for the environment. It is also a strong driver for the local economy. The average wage for these types of jobs is more than $30 an hour.
For Roach, programs like this are a stepping stone to a more sustainable workforce.
“But no matter how successful this program becomes, it must be seen as a beginning … not an end,” Roach added. “The Atlanta region must continue to think outside the box to ensure that our workforce is able to meet employers’ ever-changing needs … and our residents receive the training they need to truly thrive.”
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Featured Photo by Andrew Roberts on Unsplash