Supporting Clean Energy Jobs

Inclusive Training and Employment for a Growing Clean Energy Workforce

The scale of investment required to transform our energy systems, buildings, transportation sector, and economy to meet our climate goals will create thousands of new, family-sustaining jobs across New York.

Our ability to accelerate the clean energy transition depends upon a skilled workforce, underscoring the need to prepare current and future workers for the demands of clean energy jobs.

Ensuring that all New Yorkers and New York-based businesses have access to workforce development opportunities is essential for a just transition [PDF] . This involves prioritizing inclusive recruitment, training, job placement, and wrap-around support for individuals from Disadvantaged Communities and populations who’ve historically been underrepresented in the clean energy industry.

How We’re Advancing Equitable Workforce Opportunities

Addressing barriers to employment, especially for historically marginalized populations, is fundamental to building a clean energy workforce that possesses the skills, motivation, and lived experience to transform New York’s communities and economy for a low-carbon future. NYSERDA is working to advance workforce development through its direct investment and partnerships with community-based organizations, utilities, and State agencies.

NYSERDA’s key strategies include:

• Scaling-up career pathways and other successful models for clean energy apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and job-readiness programs to build a talent pipeline, especially from individuals within Disadvantaged Communities, priority populations, and workers in fossil-fuel industries transitioning to clean energy.
• Supporting build-out of Offshore Wind workforce training in coordination with SUNY’s Farmingdale State College and Stony Brook University to advance the Offshore Wind Training Institute (OSWTI) and other industry efforts already underway.
• Leveraging NYSERDA’s purchasing power, procurements, and program design to maximize opportunities for New Yorkers and New York clean energy firms, especially Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses.
• Identifying and working with partners including Empire State Development’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development to grow key supply chains where New York firms can have a competitive advantage.
• Supporting community-based economic development projects by leveraging existing NYSERDA clean energy programs, identifying more comprehensive funding strategies, and working with State, local, and utility partners.
• Focusing NYSERDA’s relationship with other agencies and partners on workforce development and training to develop complementary offers that increase collective impact and serve a wider base of workers.
• Pursuing funding opportunities to complement and supplement our traditional funding sources to deliver wrap-around support services (e.g., funding for transportation, daycare, etc.) to help priority populations pursue clean energy workforce opportunities.

Delivering Clean Energy Jobs and Opportunities

New York will continue expanding clean energy career opportunities for years to come, stimulating economic growth in communities across the State. Our investments in workforce recruitment and training will support a pipeline of diverse talent to support New York’s clean energy transition, including individuals from Disadvantaged Communities and workers formerly employed in fossil fuel industries.

By 2030, the clean energy economy will create 172,000 new jobs, representing a 55% increase in the clean energy workforce since 2019. Over half of the new jobs created between now and 2030 will be focused on building decarbonization. Employment in solar, offshore wind, and electric vehicle charging are also poised for significant job growth.

This cumulative job growth in the coming decades will reach nearly 600,000 jobs by 2050.