Energy Growth in the US Offers Excellent Job Opportunities for Women and Minorities

America’s growth in the energy sector continues to drive our economy forward. This means great things for the American workforce, especially for women and minorities. However, many experts have voiced concerns that these very groups may get left behind in the recent upsurge of job openings, but not because these opportunities are unavailable; women and minorities are simply not applying for jobs in the energy sector, nor are they accepting them.

Although 40% of energy workers are non-white, women and minority workers are still highly underrepresented in the industry with even less corporate representation at the top. The solar industry alone shows job growth six times the size of the overall job market; unfortunately, women and minorities are barely represented in this growth. One possible explanation for these small numbers is attributed to preworkforce training. While women and minority groups make up approximately 70% of college students in the nation, they only account for 45% of professionals with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) – the core degrees currently driving the solar industry as a whole.

Because of this, the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) used its Energy Policy Summit, held earlier this year, to focus discussions on increasing minority participation in the energy sector. Meanwhile, CASEnergy, a grassroots organization that supports the increased use of nuclear energy, is dedicating efforts towards attracting Latinos and other minorities to career opportunities in the energy industry. In addition to the commitments of these two groups, the U.S. Energy Department is making its own commitment to closing the gap by offering several programs that train and monitor minorities studying in STEM fields. This includes a research program that helps fund the development of affordable, solar technologies as well as a comprehensive list of clean energy databases for these students to search.

Thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Energy department and other dedicated groups, as well as the wide range of professional jobs available in a multitude of positions around the country, there has never been a more promising time for women and minority job seekers in the energy industry. FootBridge Energy understands that sometimes the most difficult step in the job search process is knowing where to look. This is why FootBridge Energy shares top energy job opportunities and insightful resources to interested job seekers at all times. If you are looking for more in-depth assistance on growing your energy industry career, contact the energy staffing professionals at FootBridge Energy today!