Why the Energy Industry Should Bet on Talent and Not Just Technology

Last month at New York Climate Week, thousands of thought leaders and innovators in energy gathered for one of the largest annual climate events in the U.S. to discuss the future of energy. The spotlight was on technology and investment, but at SEEL we kept returning to a different focus: the people. Through our time at the Green Jobs Pavilion, hosted by organizer and partner Green Jobs Board, we asked a question that framed much of our week: Are we doing enough to prepare the workforce that will actually build and maintain this future? 

The short answer is we could be doing a lot more. 

According to 2024 data from the U.S. Department of Energy, clean energy accounts for 42% of all U.S. energy jobs, with approximately 100,000 jobs added in 2024. While economic shifts have impacted industry growth in 2025, the demand for skilled labor continues to outpace deployment. Without intentional workforce planning, utilities, developers, and other employers risk hiring delays, higher costs, and inequitable access to these opportunities. 

So what does intentional workforce planning look like? Workforce investment is more than staffing. It is about building long-term resilience and trust, and maintaining a steady pipeline of talent as employees retire or transition. A well-prepared workforce ensures projects run smoothly, safety standards are upheld, and communities see themselves reflected in the teams working within institutions that may lack historical trust. By prioritizing training and retention, utilities and other energy companies strengthen both operations and relationships with the communities they serve. 

At SEEL, we see these challenges—and their solutions—up close in the workforce programs we implement on behalf of our clients. We work with utilities not only to deliver programs but also to design the talent pipelines behind them. For example, our workforce program with Ameren Illinois connects Returning Citizens, or individuals re-entering society from incarceration, with careers in energy efficiency and clean energy through internships, scholarships, job placement, training, and long-term case management. In fact, the majority of our team working in Illinois were hired through the workforce pipeline we developed. Through our SEEL Learning Institute and BPI testing center, we also help train and upskill our own workforce and serve utility clients by providing hands-on development and industry-recognized credentials that prepare teams for the complex and evolving needs of today’s clean energy landscape. 

We also recognize that skills and certifications are only part of the equation. At the Green Jobs Pavilion during Climate Week, SEEL participated in thought leadership discussions on key workforce topics and hosted live LinkedIn makeovers, helping job seekers showcase their expertise and tell their stories in a marketable way through 10–15 minute coaching sessions. This served as a reminder that building a workforce is not just about training people. It is also about equipping them to navigate systems that have historically disenfranchised them and the communities they represent. 

As the clean energy transition accelerates, the question is not only how quickly we can build infrastructure, but whether we can build the workforce to sustain it. At SEEL, we believe the two must go hand in hand because without people, progress stalls before it starts. Climate Week was a powerful reminder that innovation is not just measured in megawatts or miles of transmission lines. It is also measured in people: the talent we nurture, the opportunities we create, and the communities we strengthen, including those transitioning from fossil fuel industries. If we invest in both technology and the workforce behind it, we can build a cleaner, more equitable energy future together. To learn more about SEEL’s workforce development offerings, click here or contact us at strategy@SEELLLC.com.