This week, Careers Electric™ announced the formation of a coalition that will bring together employers, educators, and workforce partners to expand access to training pathways into in-demand electrical careers. The NC Chamber Foundation will serve as an incubation partner on the initiative.  

The national coalition will equip students and workers with technical, digital, safety, and other workplace skills required in today’s rapidly evolving energy, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, and scale a workforce training model that is already delivering results for employers and workers.  

The NC Chamber Foundation joins industry employers, national trade associations, workforce development organizations, and philanthropic partners in its commitment to offering a new, sector-driven approach to workforce development in America’s skilled trades. 

“North Carolina’s economy is growing because companies are investing here, building here, and expanding here — and that growth depends on having the skilled workforce to match,” said NC Chamber Foundation President Meredith Archie. “By connecting industry, education, and workforce partners through Careers Electric, North Carolina can lead with a model that delivers for employers, workers, and communities.” 

Founding coalition industry partners include ABB, Amazon Web Services, and NC Chamber members Duke Energy, JetZero, Hitachi Energy, NC Electric Cooperatives, and Siemens – companies that will work hand-in-hand with the following implementation partners: 

• Workforce Development Organizations: CareerWise, NC Chamber member Strada Education Foundation, The Manufacturing Institute (501(c)3 of the National Association of Manufacturers) 

• North Carolina Incubation Partners: NC Chamber Foundation and NC Department of Commerce 

• North Carolina Grantee Partners: NC Business Committee for Education, Wake Technical Community College, NC Community College System Office and Foundation, EVITP, and Families and Workers Fund 

As electrification accelerates across industries – from energy and infrastructure to advanced manufacturing and data centers – the need for skilled electrical workers continues to grow. Employment demand for electrical careers is projected to increase by roughly 10 percent over the next decade with as many as 80,000 job openings each year. At the same time, pressures related to an aging workforce are already visible. In North Carolina, approximately 70 percent of licensed electricians are over the age of 50, adding urgency to efforts to train the next generation of skilled workers. 

“High-quality workforce training is essential not only to meet employers’ growing demand for skilled talent, but also to expand access to well-paying trade careers for more Americans,” said David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation. “Seeing industry leaders, including competitor companies, come together as part of this powerful coalition underscore just how important workforce training is to the strength of our economies and communities.”  

With plans to scale this model across the United States, the Careers Electric Coalition will deliver lasting impact for workers, employers, and communities. The initiative aims to train 25,000 people in its first 10 years. 

Learn more about the Careers Electric initiative or join the coalition here.