Interviews of the U.S. hydropower industry conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory identified that traditional recruiting methods—such as career fairs, job boards, and word-of-mouth—are no longer sufficient to meet today’s hiring needs.
Results from the industry interviews found that:
- Job requisitions are difficult to fill, often remain open for an extended period of time, or lack qualified applicants
- The rural location of hydropower facilities makes the industry less visible—and less attractive—to job seekers
- Students and other job seekers have limited education and awareness of the hydropower industry
- Increasing competition for workers with transferable knowledge and skills make it harder to recruit (and retain) skilled workers.
Jennifer Daw presenting at Clean Currents
Solutions
Revisiting recruitment approaches can help the hydropower industry address these pain points and find the workers it needs in an increasingly competitive job market.
Addressing Education System Gaps
There are a range of opportunities for the hydropower industry to collaborate with educational institutions and programs, including:
- Serving as guest speakers, providing facility tours, and engaging in capstone projects
- Sharing educational and training materials with educators, students, and the general public to raise industry awareness
- Sponsoring internships and apprenticeships to support hands-on learning experiences
- Participating in career panels and mentorship programs to raise early awareness and interest in the hydropower industry
- Framing messaging and promotion of job opportunities to target younger generations, focusing on purpose, work-life balance, and opportunities for professional growth.
Expanding the Hydropower Workforce
The hydropower industry has an opportunity to rethink its approach to building its workforce, fostering greater connection with and understanding of the communities it serves.
Industry may:
- Conduct outreach to community organizations that support job entry for groups with historically low engagement who may not typically apply for hydropower jobs
- Work with local schools and colleges to establish educational partnerships and create tailored training programs for hydropower careers (i.e., apprenticeships or co-op programs)
- Consider community development projects that invest in local infrastructure, education, and health initiatives to support workers and enhance the quality of life in the community
- Encourage dual-career opportunities by partnering with local businesses to create employment opportunities for the spouses or partners of hydropower employees and wrap-around services like childcare support.
Reimagining Workplace Accessibility
Many hydropower jobs are in rural locations and require an on-site presence, limiting the applicant pool and deterring diversely skilled hires.
Strategies to support broader workforce participation could include:
- Reevaluating the organization’s ability to offer flexible work arrangements (i.e., making accommodations for individuals’ needs around remote, hybrid, or on-site work) to encourage a broader applicant pool
- Creating flexible or rotational work assignments to balance on-site and desk-based work
- Offering incentives like housing assistance and/or transportation for rural positions, scholarships/financial aid for training and education, and childcare support for parents
- Promoting the benefits of rural jobs, such as:
- Lower living costs
- Opportunities to help modernize hydropower through cutting-edge technology
- Access to outdoor recreational activities.
Explore resources to help support hydropower industry recruitment efforts, including educational tools and resources, apprenticeship and internship programs, career mapping, and more.
Recruiting Resources
Explore educational and career-building resources to help support recruitment efforts for the hydropower industry.
Hydropower Career Map
A comprehensive map that highlights a wide range of career opportunities in the hydropower industry.
Hydropower Collegiate Competition
A collegiate-level competition where interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate and graduate students develop solutions to complex hydropower challenges while gaining industry experience, career exposure, and insights into hydropower’s role in a clean energy future.
Renewable Energy Discovery Island
A virtual exploration tool showcasing a renewable-energy-powered island filled with educational resources, videos, and lesson plans for all audiences.
Spark Squad
A comic book series developed to inspire students to explore hydropower and join the next generation of the clean energy workforce.
Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit
A short guide with resources and best practices on hiring, promotion, and talent management built around worker skills.
Educator Resources
Resources, lesson plans, tools, and related materials to help educators learn and teach about hydropower.
National Hydropower Association
This association has various campaigns that help expand and refine messaging about the hydropower industry, among other things.
Broader programs that could support job entry into the hydropower industry
There are also various programs that could be leveraged to support broader job entry into hydropower, including:
- Bridging Outstanding Opportunities with Tradeswomen Skills (B.O.O.T.S.) program
- SkillBridge
- Get Into Energy apprenticeship program
- Helmets to Hardhats apprenticeship vet program
- SkillsUSA
- JobCorps
- Apprenticeships in Clean Energy (ACE) Network
- YouthBuild USA
- Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s (IREC’s) Green Workforce Connect
- Union entry pathways (e.g., Sisters in the Brotherhood Support, Brothers Keeper, and UBC Journeyman Level) provided by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydropower Plant Apprenticeship Program.