Webinar: Workforce Development Tools and Resources

March 5, 2024

Presentation slides

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) hosted a webinar discussing workforce training programs, job creation, and local and economic hiring preferences in the transition to electrified transportation on March 5, 2024.

Workforce development experts from the federal government provided updates on new funding opportunities and resources available to stakeholders, including new web content from the Joint Office, and updates on funded projects from the Ride and Drive Electric Funding Opportunity.

Panelists included:

• Paige Shevlin, Department of Transportation

• Maya Goodwin Senior Advisor, Workforce and Economic Opportunity Policy

• Rachael Nealer, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Key Takeaways

• In the transition to electrified transportation, DOE is supporting the creation of good quality domestic jobs, inclusive opportunities to benefit from those jobs, and ensuring community benefits of DOE’s investments.

• All BIL and IRA discretionary funded programs must incorporate a Community Benefits Plan (CBP). Strong CBPs address quality jobs and inclusive workforce priorities in each of the CBP’s 4 parts: engaging community and labor stakeholders; investing in America's workers through quality jobs; advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; and implementing Justice 40 initiatives to ensure 40% of benefits flow to disadvantaged communities as required.

• NEVI program electricians must have a certificate from the EVITP program or program developed as part of national guideline standard approved by DOL in consultation with DOT.

• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) has applied to DOL to have their current national guideline standard registered apprenticeship program updated to include EV curriculum.

• In many states, registered apprenticeship is allowable as on-the-job training (OJT).

• $46.5 million in Ride and Drive Electric funding went to 30 projects across 16 states, including many workforce development projects.

• All EV charging programs are Justice40 (J40)-covered programs. All state EV charging deployment plans are required to have a section on Equity Considerations and discuss how the plan complies with White House Interim Guidance on Justice40.

Funding Opportunities

• The DOL Registered Apprenticeship Grant Program is open now. Applications are due in April.

• Low or No Emission bus grants include a 5% set aside for workforce development which has been maximized with almost all transit agencies taking advantage of the full 5%. The latest round of funding closes April 25.

• DOE offers $24 million in funding for clean energy and manufacturing workforce training programs that focus on training in clean energy jobs that do not require a four-degree and will expand the existing Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) network to include more union training programs, community colleges, and trade schools. Applications close May 16.

Resources

• DOT recently released comprehensive recommendations on how to bring underrepresented populations into the construction workforce.

• This guidance document and fact sheet have information and ideas on how states can use DOT workforce development funding.

• This fact sheet shows how state transportation agencies can support apprenticeship and workforce development for infrastructure projects, including NEVI.

• Best Practices to Expand Access to Jobs and Economic Opportunity Through Transportation Infrastructure Investments

• Workforce Development Resources

• About Community Benefits Plans Department of Energy

• Battery Workforce Initiative netl.doe.gov

• https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder

• https://www.energy.gov/infrastructure/about-community-benefits-plans