ICYMI: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Clean Energy Job Training Hubs as Part of its Investing in America Workforce Initiative

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to prepare America's workforce to fill good-paying jobs created by the President's Investing in America agenda.

Since taking office, President Biden has created upwards of 12 million jobs – including 800,000 manufacturing jobs – more jobs than any president in a four-year term. Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, the Administration has ushered in $470 billion in manufacturing and clean energy investments, creating job opportunities for hardworking Americans, many of which don't require a four-year degree.

Today's announcements highlight how the Administration will ensure American workers and families have access to those job opportunities and the training and skills needed to fill those jobs.

Read the full story below:

Atlanta Business Chronicle: Georgia prepares for a historic influx of clean energy jobs, many of which focus on advanced manufacturing.
[Amy Wenk, 5/16/23]

Augusta is one of five U.S. cities designated as a new workforce hub, potentially making it a training ground for the rise of Georgia's advanced manufacturing workforce.

The Biden administration selected Augusta for a hub, along with Phoenix, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The cities will serve as a model, with the goal of replicating programs in other states, White House officials said.

The federal designation comes as Georgia prepares for a historic influx of clean energy jobs, raising questions about whether the state's workforce is ready.

The White House won't direct new funds to the hubs but instead will "ensure a diverse and skilled workforce" through apprenticeship programs and by working with state and local officials, schools and other stakeholders. It's an effort to "bring all of the parties together" to train and educate workers, which could include seeking new funding opportunities, whether those be public or private.

Augusta was selected because of investments across Georgia in new solar, battery and electric vehicle manufacturing projects, a White House official told Atlanta Business Chronicle. Augusta is home to Fort Gordon, the Medical College of Georgia, and the Savannah River Site, a "great starting point to get this training across to students," the official said.

It's also within an hour or two drive from areas where major manufacturing projects are planned, such as Rivian Automotive Inc.'s electric vehicle factory in Social Circle or Hyundai Motor Group's EV plant near Savannah.

Georgia, a key battleground state for the 2024 election, has emerged as a stage where federal policy is playing out, especially around clean energy. Legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, which offer billions in incentives, has helped lure massive semiconductor, solar and electric vehicle manufacturing projects to Georgia.

Vice President Kamala Harris has made several visits to Georgia this year, including a tour of Qcells' solar manufacturing facility in Dalton. EPA Administrator Michael Regan was in Savannah recently to announce a $4 billion federal program to invest in the nation's ports.

Regan told the Chronicle that "we are definitely going to leverage the infrastructure that Georgia has to be a leader."

The clean energy investments have benefitted from bipartisan support in the state. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has pledged for Georgia to be the electric vehicle capital of the nation, and Democratic U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have advocated for the state to lead a national effort around reducing carbon emissions.

Workforce development will be a critical issue as the state sees its most robust pipeline of new manufacturing space in a decade. Georgia has 28,000 jobs in the works just related to electric vehicles, state officials have said.

"I think there are some concerns, considering the amount of investments that we have coming," Sam Culpepper, a building design expert with Southface Institute, recently said about the workforce needs in Georgia around clean energy. "I think it's something that will require collaboration."