Six months into the Infrastructure Equity Policy Project, we are seeing significant progress toward our goals of fostering a more diverse and equitable workforce in infrastructure and clean energy sectors. This milestone reflects the collective efforts of our state partners who are working to address labor shortages while advancing racial and gender workforce equity.
The Infrastructure Equity Policy Project, which launched as part of National Skills Coalition’s People Powered Infrastructure campaign, aims to address the labor gap expected to arise from federal investments in infrastructure and clean energy. With nearly 3 million jobs generated annually—70 percent of which are accessible to workers without a bachelor’s degree—the challenge lies in preparing the 1.1 million workers currently lacking the necessary training. The project is focused on building diverse coalitions to increase training and supports for people to access infrastructure and clean energy jobs, particularly for women and workers of color.
The Infrastructure Equity Policy Project was announced in June 2024, with a vision to ensure equitable workforce development in in-demand sectors. NSC hosted a virtual convening of Infrastructure Equity Policy Project leads on August 5, 2024, which brought together partners from eleven states to coordinate strategies, share best practices, and lay the groundwork for policy advocacy.
Following the virtual convening, these state partners participated in peer learning sessions and took advantage of one-on-one research and assistance to support their initiatives. Additionally, leads connected with potential coalition members, strengthening the network of advocates working toward shared goals.
Since the project began, state partners and NSC staff have made significant progress toward achieving the project’s vision and goals. State partners have begun crafting tailored recommendations and advocacy strategies to address workforce barriers and training gaps. A few examples from states include:
Looking ahead to the one-year milestone in May 2025, our efforts will focus on deepening and expanding the progress made so far. A key priority will be supporting state partners as they refine and implement their policy recommendations, ensuring these initiatives align with both state and project goals. Additionally, we will continue to provide customized research and assistance as well as connections to potential coalition members, fostering collaboration and shared insights among partners. Finally, we remain committed to advocating for policies that promote racial and gender diversity in infrastructure and clean energy jobs, advancing equity within these growing sectors.
* The Permian Basin is an area in New Mexico and West Texas that is known for its natural gas and oil production as well as energy development.