Frequently Asked Questions

The energy sector offers diverse, well-paying careers in growing fields. Whether you’re hands-on, tech-savvy, or business-minded, there’s a path for you:

• Power Generation: Produce electricity from natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources. Roles include plant operators, turbine technicians, solar installers, and maintenance specialists.
• Transmission & Distribution: Build and maintain the electrical grid delivering power to millions. Work as lineworker, substation technician, electrical or power systems engineer, and grid operator.
• Renewable Energy: Drive the clean energy transition through solar, wind, geothermal, and emerging technologies. Opportunities for installers, technicians, engineers, and project developers.
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation: Help homes and businesses reduce consumption and costs. Careers include energy auditors, HVAC technicians, building performance specialists, and retrofit coordinators.
• Energy Storage: Design and deploy cutting-edge battery systems, flywheels, and grid-scale storage. Roles for electrical engineers, technicians, and system integrators.
• Electric Vehicles & Charging Infrastructure: Install and maintain EV charging stations and support the transportation electrification boom. Opportunities for electricians, technicians, and infrastructure specialists.
• Smart Grid & Technology: Modernize the power system with advanced metering, automation, and controls. Careers for software developers, data analysts, cybersecurity specialists, and systems engineers.
• Construction & Project Management: Lead major energy infrastructure projects from planning through completion. Roles include project managers, construction managers, estimators, and schedulers.
• Manufacturing: Build the equipment powering the energy transition—from wind turbines to solar panels to transformers. Jobs for machinists, welders, assemblers, and quality control specialists.
• Research & Development: Innovate the next generation of energy technologies. Opportunities for scientists, engineers, and lab technicians.
• Sales, Marketing & Business Development: Connect customers with energy solutions and drive market growth. Careers in technical sales, customer relations, and market analysis.
• Many of these careers offer:
  • Strong wages (starting at $50K–$100K+ annually)
  • Union membership and benefits
  • Paid apprenticeships and on-the-job training
  • Opportunities without requiring a 4-year degree
  • Job security in a growing industry
  • Pathways for career advancement

• Energy Powers Everything: Energy represents 5.4% of the economy but impacts 100% of modern life—from hospitals and schools to homes and businesses. When you work in energy, you’re keeping society running.
• Massive Scale, Long-Term Impact: Energy projects require billions of dollars, and infrastructure lasts 30–100 years. This means stable careers, job security, and work that benefits future generations.
• Highly Regulated and Safety-Focused: Strict regulations ensure rigorous safety standards, extensive training, strong wages, and often union representation with excellent benefits.
• Environmental Responsibility: Today’s energy workforce leads the clean energy transition—deploying hydropower, solar, wind, and storage while reducing emissions. Your work directly addresses climate change.
• Constant Innovation: The sector is rapidly evolving with battery storage, smart grids, EVs, and new technologies. Expect continuous learning, career advancement, and exciting challenges.
• The Bottom Line: Energy careers offer purpose, stability, scale, and impact. You’re not just getting a paycheck—you’re powering progress and solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges.

• Strong Job Growth: The energy industry is experiencing significant growth driven by infrastructure modernization, the clean energy transition, AI and data center demand, and workforce replacement. The sector employed 8.5 million workers in 2024, accounting for 5.4% of all U.S. jobs. Demand is especially high for electricians, lineworkers, solar and wind technicians, engineers, and skilled trades—with employers across all energy sectors projecting continued growth.
• Competitive Pay: Energy sector median wage is 18%+ higher than the national median.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Beyond strong wages, energy employers typically offer:
  • Health insurance (many employers cover full employee and family costs)
  • Union membership with collective bargaining (in many roles)
  • Paid training, certifications, and tuition reimbursement
  • Retirement plans
  • Overtime opportunities
  • Job stability and security

The largest energy employers in the US Northeast region are primarily investor-owned utilities and multi-state energy delivery corporations. Dominant regional employers include:

• National Grid: One of the largest utilities in the Northeast, employing over 18,000 workers to manage massive electricity and gas transmission systems across Massachusetts and New York.
• Eversource Energy: New England’s largest energy delivery system, employing over 10,500 people across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
• Consolidated Edison (Con Edison): A New York-based energy company powering millions of homes and businesses in New York City and Westchester County.
• Avangrid: A leading U.S.  energy company employing about 8,500 people, with major corporate and operational hubs in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine.
• New York Power Authority (NYPA): The largest public power organization in the nation, the Power Authority generates nearly 25% of New York’s electricity, operating one-third of its high-voltage transmission lines.
  
• Constellation Energy: Headquartered in Maryland, this massive energy supplier is one of the largest competitive clean energy producers in North America.

Visit the Center for Energy Workforce Development’s Get Into Energy website to learn more about:

• Apprenticeships
• Technical positions that require pre-employment testing
• Schools that offer an energy curriculum
• Information on scholarships
• Industry compensation
• The industry’s commitment to the environment and social responsibility
• Energy careers and why so many people find their future—and their passion—in the energy sector

At this time, the Consortium is open to representatives from industry, economic development and industry associations, p-12 and higher education institutions, workforce investment boards, labor unions, community-based organizations, state and local agencies and entities, and other workforce development stakeholders.

• Participate in monthly or quarterly virtual meetings to network with peers, share pain points and best practices, and advance collective workforce goals
• Engage in collaborative events and initiatives that drive real impact
• Opportunity to join working groups and shape strategic priorities
• Contribute expertise and learn from leaders across the energy sector
• Support energy career awareness and workforce development efforts region-wide

At this time, there is no membership fee to join the consortium. However, as we build out programs and initiatives, there may be programmatic costs to initiatives. It is expected that if your organization has a significant engagement in or benefit from a particular initiative or program, that you are able to contribute to support it. Additionally, members will be invited to sponsor annual NEWC events so we can cover costs and keep registration fees low for all participants.

It’s easy! Complete this Member Intake Form.