Spotlight on Energy Solutions
The energy sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by changing technologies, policy priorities, and public expectations.
AIR brings interdisciplinary social science research and technical assistance to help leaders, communities, and decisionmakers navigate these changes, with established expertise in education and workforce development, community engagement, behavioral science, evidence synthesis and comment processing, policy analysis, and program evaluation.
For example, AIR has applied our workforce development expertise to address the unique challenges of the energy industry and its sub-sectors by developing sector strategies through a partnership with the Office of Energy Jobs at the U.S. Department of Energy, and our mixed methods evaluation expertise to a project aimed at reducing the gap between energy supply and demand in Kosovo.
Building on this experience, AIR is continuing to expand its energy work to address the emerging workforce, community, behavioral, and policy questions that shape energy systems. Together, these capabilities help ensure that energy systems are effective, fair, and responsive to the people they serve.
Chris Herzog
Principal TA Consultant
Across every subsector, the U.S. energy industry is navigating profound workforce shifts that demand new skills, new education and training programs, new partnerships, and new ways of attracting talent. With strategic investment in training, technology, and outreach to emerging workers, the industry can cultivate a dynamic workforce prepared to power America’s future.
Chris Herzog
Principal TA Consultant
Our Work in Energy Solutions
Building a Future‑Ready Energy Workforce Through Sector Strategies
AIR is partnering with the Office of Energy Jobs at the U.S. Department of Energy to drive the adoption of sector strategies and support the development of a national energy workforce strategy. This has included the development of materials such as the Sector Strategies Framework and Sector Strategies Framework Implementation Guide.
Evaluation of Reliable Energy Landscape Project (RELP) in Kosovo
A key contributor to poor economic growth in Kosovo is the large gap between electricity supply and demand. The RELP aims to reduce this gap by encouraging greater household efficiency and bolstering private-sector participation in the power sector. AIR is implementing a mixed methods performance evaluation to assess RELP's implementation and impacts.
Competency Connections: Bridging Industries and Education
As part of a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, AIR works with leaders from business, education, and labor sectors, along with the public workforce investment systems, to create comprehensive and readily accessible documentation of the skills and competencies required in economically vital industry sectors (e.g., manufacturing, IT hospitality, health care).
Enhancing Electrician Apprenticeship Selection and Retention
To sustain a strong and reliable electrician workforce, it is critical to implement rigorous, evidence-based strategies for apprentice selection and retention. AIR works with the electrical training ALLIANCE’s apprenticeship program to conduct job analysis and implement and test apprentice selection procedures.
