In collaboration with other electric and natural gas industry leaders, UBEC formed the Utility Workforce Planning Network in 2004 to engage the industry broadly in strategic, unified and results-oriented efforts to ensure a skilled workforce to meet the future needs of electric and natural gas utilities.

Research indicates that utilities — with a rapidly aging workforce — will face major shortages in key job sectors within five years. UBEC is helping the industry meet that challenge through a strategic approach that actively involves all segments of the industry. The primary objective of the Network is to create and develop the national framework needed to ensure that all utilities have access to high-quality recruitment, education and training opportunities for skilled and craft workers in the communities they serve.

Through the Network, UBEC is working with electric and natural gas utility leaders to achieve the following:

• Develop Centers of Excellence model partnerships with community colleges, high schools and workforce investment boards to develop training programs for utility careers.
• Engage utility companies and educators in an effort to develop model curricula for utility training programs.
• Address basic academic and employability skills gaps in K-12 students, most notably mathematics, science and communications skills.
• Develop a non-traditional worker recruitment initiative.
• Develop and implement a marketing/communications plan to support network outreach priorities and local company needs.
• Create and maintain a clearinghouse for best practice exchange.

The nation's electric and natural gas utility human resources, operating and community affairs executives are encouraged to work with their peers to address shared workforce development issues by becoming a part of this important industry initiative. Join the Network!