Offshore Wind and Union Labor: Training the Offshore Wind Workforce

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM ET

Location: Ballroom D/E

Moderator(s)

Doug Copeland

Development Manager
Atlantic Shores, Pennsylvania, United States

Speaker(s)

PS

Paul Smith

Subcontract Manager
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Jennifer Cullen

Senior Manager, Labor Relations & Workforce Development
Vineyard Offshore
Mashpee, Massachusetts, United States
Allison Ziogas (she/her/hers)

Head of Labor Relations
Ørsted
TK

Tom Kriger, PhD (he/him/his)

Director of Research, Education, and Training
North America’s Building Trades Unions
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

In the pursuit of 30 GW, tens of thousands of offshore wind jobs will be made, but will tens of thousands of qualified, skilled workers be ready to fill these jobs? Federal and state governments, academic institutions, and industry are all mobilizing to create or fund programs that will ensure this need is met. Labor unions in particular have been rising to meet the workforce challenge by creating training programs specific to offshore wind and adjusting recruiting tactics to meet developer and state requirements for a diverse workforce. This panel will discuss examples of existing programs and the growing collaboration between industry and labor to ensure a safe, qualified and diverse workforce of the future.