As a company committed to public service since 1903, we have a long history of partnering with communities to serve our customers, protect the environment and strengthen the quality of life. Last year, PSE&G launched a unique new public-private partnership to train workers for clean energy jobs of the future.
A 2022 study by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst estimated that the Inflation Reduction Act will generate nine million clean energy and manufacturing jobs over the next decade. The increasing demand for trained workers, particularly in renewable energy, energy storage and electrification, is expected to continue over the next decade.
We saw a need and acted, creating the Clean Energy Jobs Program, a program designed to provide employment opportunities for 2,000 people from underrepresented communities to help meet these needs, in partnership with state and community organizations. Partners, including the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development and others, are working with PSE&G to create and expand opportunities for diverse suppliers and underserved communities, teaching candidates the skills and competencies needed to supply energy efficiency services.
“As part of our Clean Energy Jobs Program, we bring in industry experts to teach candidates the critical skills and competencies needed by state employers that supply energy efficiency services, like resume writing, interview skills and transportation. We even offer child care and transportation services,” said Waltasia Mansano, manager of the PSEG Clean Energy Jobs Program. “By providing these services to our underserved communities with no prior training in clean energy, we are able to give them a head-start in finding jobs within the industry.”
And it’s working. Since the program started in 2020, it has helped more than 1,100 people find jobs ranging from field technicians and weatherization technicians to administrative professionals and energy efficiency specialists. Last year the program received a national Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative Award recognizing the initiative’s successful efforts in meeting the growing need for skilled workers in New Jersey’s energy efficiency industry.
“With this program, we are generating jobs within New Jersey and expanding the opportunities for diverse suppliers,” said Calvin Ledford, president of the PSEG Foundation and director of PSEG Corporate Social Responsibility. “When it came time to plan this statewide initiative, we worked directly with leading New Jersey public officials to make sure we were all on the same page in terms of how to implement the program.”
The Clean Jobs Program is a direct result of PSE&G’s commitment to support opportunities for underserved communities.
This recently was recognized by the Association of Energy Services Professionals with the 2023 AESP Energy Award for Organizational DEI Leadership for the program’s exemplary leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the clean energy sector.
“This recognition reflects PSEG’s values and how we embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as one of our Core Commitments,” said Karen Reif, vice president of Renewables and Energy Solutions at PSE&G. “We’re proud of this acknowledgement and our work in fostering a workplace that creates a sense of belonging and equity for all employees.”
“Not only is the Clean Energy Jobs Program the right thing to do, but it supports PSE&G’s own clean energy efforts by building a pipeline of talented workers, many of whom will be employed by PSE&G partners and suppliers,” said Priya Varma, director, PSEG HR Strategic Initiatives.
For more information about the Clean Energy Jobs Programs and to apply, visit https://pseg.com/cleanenergyjobs.
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