This document discusses the need to develop the energy and engineering workforce through research, education, and skills development programs. It notes that over 50% of the current workforce will retire in the next 10-15 years, creating gaps. Proposed solutions include delivering STEM education from K-12 through doctoral programs, with hands-on learning and research opportunities. Areas of research focus include fossil energy, renewable energy, and climate modeling. The goal is to create an industry-ready and diverse workforce through partnerships between education, government, and industry. Challenges include a lack of pre-implementation data and engineering concepts in K-12 curriculum.

1. Energy
Engineering
Workforce
Development
Re-Energize the Americas
2012
Session 2B: Regional Capacities in
Nate Robinson, P.E.
Advanced Energy Engineering Center for Space Exploration
Research and Development Technology Research – UTEP

2. Objective
Research to develop
Workforce Technologies
Energy and Improved
engineering energy
shortage efficiencies
Lessened
Skill gap and
environmental
innovation
impact

3. Industry needs
 Impending Retirements
⌂ > 50% of current workers will be eligible to retire or
will leave for other reasons in the next five to ten years.
⌂ Nearly 49 percent of employees who operate gas
and coal-fired generation will be eligible to leave
(CEWD report, 2010)
 Shrinking Labor Pool, Knowledge and Skill Gaps
⌂ Projected in the next 20 years, there will be virtually
no growth in the “prime age workforce” (those
between the ages of 25 and 54)
⌂ Growth in the labor force will probably be sought
from older workers, immigrants, and other
underutilized labor pools¥
¥ The Aspen Institute, Domestic Strategy Group. Grow Faster Together or Grow Slowly Apart. How will America
Work in the 21st Century. p 11.

4. Industry needs
 Increasing Energy Demand
⌂ Between 2008 and 2035, demand for petroleum and
other liquid fuels will increase by 26.9 million barrels a
day, consumption of natural gas is forecast to rise 52
percent, to 169 trillion cubic feet.£
 Increasing Concern on Environmental Impact
⌂ Energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide will rise 43
percent, to 43.2 billion metric tons, from 2008 to 2035.£
 Economic Growth
⌂ Two-thirds of America’s economic growth in the 1990s
resulted from the introduction of new technologies;
sufficient supplies of affordable energy are needed for
every sector of the economy. ¤
£ Energy Information Administration, 2011; ¤ Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross-Domestic-Product-By-
Industry Accounts, 2010

5. Industry needs
 Transition to a low carbon economy
 Transformation changes in energy
production, conversion, and utilization sciences and
engineering
 Clean, affordable and abundant energy for a carbon
constrained future
 Climate sustainability is the new paradigm of energy
engineering
 Future energy and climate R& D challenges are
complex
 Need for significant R&D across discipline boundaries

6. National needs
Cutting the dropout rate by half would yield over $45 billion
annually in additional federal tax revenues… and $319 billion
for the economy.
~ Columbia University (2009), Alliance for Excellent Education (2008)
1/3 of U.S. manufacturing
companies stated they are
suffering from some level of Typical college graduate paid over
skills shortage. 100% more in federal income taxes
~People and profitability: A time for and about 82% more in total
change (2009) federal, state, and local taxes than the
typical high school graduate.
Almost half US population
does not know that electrons ~ Trends in Higher Education (2005)
are smaller than atoms..
and only about half is aware that dinosaurs and humans never coexisted.
NSB, 2010, Appendix Table 7-10; National Science Board
(NSB), Science and Engineering Indicators 2002

7. STEM Education and Workforce Dev.
Aspects of our approach

8. Education
Deliver effective technical
content with diverse delivery
methods, mix theoretical
learning with application
Human Resource
and hands-on learning, to Development
include research and projects Provide
where able. Structure paths, opportunities, inspirati
programs, content and on and support toward STEM
research to meet the skill degrees and careers for K-
needs of future doctoral. Utilize a
employers, with emphasis growing, diverse population
on energy, aerospace and to tap underserved and
engineering needs underrepresented groups in
STEM. Develop an industry-
ready workforce with
technical and professional
competencies through
professional development
programs, and industry best
practices.

9. Research and Technical Development
Use research opportunities to deliver quality results that are
modern and progressively relevant while adopting
industry best practices in design, build and test. Utilize
research as a recruitment and retention tool.
Sustainability and Growth
Maintain fluid, efficient operations in administration and
management support by diversified funding. Ensure visibility
and consistent tracking of results and benefits. Development
and maintain effective partnerships. Build capacity and
infrastructure.

10. Toward K-Doctoral pipeline
The best method for recruitment and retention of underrepresented
students is an institution-wide approach and commitment to a broad
and culturally relevant process (Dumas Hines, 2001; Stewart, Russell, &
Wright, 1997).

11. SEMAA, HRA, Plaza Mix of high contact, low quantity and high quantity,
low contact programs designed to stimulate interest
and improve competency in STEM.
K-12: 2500 in 2011, 6100 in 2012 with 20 hrs or more;
8000 with 10 hrs or more

12. Undergraduate - Doctoral research:
 Fossil
energy
 CO2 sequestrations
 Renewable and alternative energy
 Climate change and climate modeling
 Energy systems dynamics
 Economics of energy systems

13. Oxy-Fuel Combustion
 Provide fundamental flame characteristics and related
burner operability parameters that are essential for designing and
developing oxy‐fuel combustion systems for new
power plants and retrofitting existing power generation units
Thermal Barrier Coatings
 Provide coatings on structural materials for corrosive and
high temperature environment in Advanced Ultra-supercritical
Coal-Fired Boilers, Steam Turbines and Gas
Turbines.

14. Professional and Use workshops aimed at improving research
Skills Development and experimentation, communication skills (oral,
(PSD) Initiative written, professional and social media), industry
best practices, interviewing and resumes,
proposal writing, etc
Support student participation and success in
professional certifications.
Provide students exposure to real world efforts
and to network opportunities through leaders in
industry, academia and government lecture
series.

15. While logically (at least to us) this makes an effective, impactful
platform for STEM development, there has been insufficient time
and data to make statistical inferences on
correlation, impact, etc. Deficiencies toward this goal include:
1. Need for comparative and equivalent data pre
implementation for impact analysis
2. Lack of engineering concepts in 6-12th grade
curriculum (for both generating conceptual
understanding, application, career perspectives and
interest in S&E among K-12 students)
3. Lack of social bonding and network programs

16. 1. Industry ready, professional developed, well educated
workforce
2. Ethnically diverse workforce
3. Improved recruitment, retention and performance of
students in STEM higher ed., K-12
4. Closer collaboration between workforce generators
(higher ed., ISDs, etc) and workforce employers
5. Research that provides pertinent, applicable
data, technologies and solutions