June 9, 2026 |Energy, National Grid, News

Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium Launches as Industry-Wide Effort to Meet Energy Workforce Needs

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Regional partnership unites leading energy industry employers across Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut to strengthen the future energy workforce

From National Grid:  The newly formed Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium (NEWC) today announced its official launch as the latest addition to the Center for Energy Workforce Development’s (CEWD) national network of energy industry workforce consortia, now spanning nearly 20 states. At a kick-off event in Albany, NY, leaders from major energy companies in Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut gathered for the inaugural event. 

With demand growing for a skilled, diverse, and future-ready energy workforce across the Northeast region, supporting a thriving energy workforce ecosystem is critical for maintaining the energy system. National Grid, NYPA and Eversource are leading this effort that is bringing together energy companies and public utilities, including: Constellation, Hallen Construction, Panorama Energy Services, Avangrid, Con Edison, the Northeast Gas Association, and Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG). 

Consortium members will work collaboratively to raise awareness of and access to the workforce opportunities and demands for critical roles that support the energy ecosystem across the Northeast region. They will also engage with essential workforce development partners including educators, workforce systems, community-based organizations, and organized labor.

As grid modernization ramps up, the need for skilled labor is expected to grow at a higher rate than in recent years. While each of the Consortium members has workforce programs to meet their individual needs, the opportunity the Consortium has is to harness the power of the collaborative to drive impact that one organization alone would not be able to. The need for skilled energy workers is a priority across the energy field as electric demand increases.

The June 9 event features presentations from the Consortium’s working groups – Energy and Natural Resources Career and Technical Education (CTE) cluster, Power Systems Engineering, Construction Project Management, and Technical Training – and will introduce priorities and objectives to attendees, as well as panel discussions featuring government and education leaders from Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut.

“We have great programs and partnerships to fill our critical roles, but the demand for a skilled energy workforce goes far beyond National Grid’s needs,” said Celeste Schneider, NY Chief People Officer, National Grid. “Now, by collaborating across the industry, we can bring an increased scope and scale to successful training and education programs – moving away from simply a highly trained and skilled pipeline to a robust energy workforce ecosystem that is good for the sustainability of the industry, and the communities we serve.”

According to the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD), which is supporting this new consortium, there is a significant need for skilled tradespeople across the United States and that need is only expected to grow. 

• 32 million people are expected to be hired for energy and infrastructure jobs in a ten-year period (Brookings, 2024).
• 81,000 electricians must be hired and trained every year for a decade (U.S. Department of Labor, 2025).
• The nuclear workforce in the United States is expected to nearly triple by 2050, with a considerable ramp-up by 2035 (U.S. Department of Energy, 2024).
• There is a projected shortfall of 320,000 welders by 2029 (American Welding Society, 2025).

“The Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium reflects the energy industry’s continued commitment to workforce innovation and collaboration,” said Sara Vander Zanden, Director of State Workforce Development at CEWD. “Regional partnerships like this are essential to preparing the next generation of energy workers and ensuring the industry has the talent needed to meet future challenges.”

“Addressing the energy challenges of today depends not just on having the latest technology in place; it depends on people,” said New York Power Authority Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Daniella Piper. “The New York Power Authority works with employers, colleges and training providers to support an energy workforce ecosystem that connects opportunities with the talent that exists in local communities. By working together, we are ensuring that every region has a pipeline of diverse skilled workers to draw from to ensure our energy system is safe, reliable and affordable.”

“Bringing together industry leaders and educators is essential to shaping the future energy workforce. Through collaboration and shared commitment, we can create meaningful pathways into rewarding careers and ensure our communities continue to benefit from a skilled, innovative, and resilient energy industry.” said Donna Grici, Eversource Vice President Talent, Culture, Learning and Development.

For more information about the Northeast Energy Workforce Consortium and the Center for Energy Workforce Development, visit https://northeast.getintoenergy.org/

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 20 million people across New York and Massachusetts. We’re committed to meeting our customers’ energy needs and supporting economic growth across the regions we serve—providing safe, reliable energy today and building the resilient networks of the future. National Grid Ventures, our commercial business, develops and operates infrastructure that delivers affordable and reliable energy to consumers. National Grid Partners, our corporate investment and innovation arm, invests in and collaborates with technology companies that are transforming the energy sector and accelerating industry-wide innovation.

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