Massachusetts is going all-in on offshore wind power. The state’s already working to obtain enough for a quarter of its annual electricity. And that figure is expected to grow.
As the offshore wind industry takes off, it’s expected to create tens of thousands of jobs.
“And I think they’re a mix of different jobs. So we have to make sure that we’re training people up and tooling them up to be ready,” says Kerry Bowie, executive director of Browning the Green Space, a group that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in the clean energy industry.
His organization is working with Xodus, a consulting firm, to reach out to women, people of color, and others who are underrepresented in the clean energy industry. They’re introducing people to potential career paths and connecting them to internships and training.
“So really trying to push people to those programs and let them know that they are there,” Bowie says. “And then we’re trying to come back on the backside of it and connect the folk coming out of these programs with internships, apprenticeships, and ultimately full-time employment.”
That way, more people in Massachusetts will have the opportunity to get a job in the growing offshore wind industry.
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media