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Dr. Jermaine Whirl appointed to the Biden-Harris 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board

by Kimberly Holden

Posted on Aug 14, 2023 at 10:00 AM

For Immediate Release

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Kimberly Holden
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Dr. Jermaine Whirl appointed to the Biden-Harris 21st
Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Members of the First-Ever 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board.

Dr. Jermaine Whirl, a smiling African American male, wearing a black suit with a white collared shirt, a brown tie with gold dots, and black rimmed glasses. A round gold pin is on his left lapel.Augusta, GA - August 14, 2023

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the first members of the newly formed 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board (EWAB). The Advisory Board, mandated by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will play an important role in shaping DOE’s strategy for supporting current and future energy sector workforce needs. The 14-member group includes individuals with workforce development, labor, and energy sector expertise and will develop strategic recommendations for how DOE can support and develop a skilled energy workforce to meet the changing needs of the U.S. energy system. These recommendations will further efforts to:

  • meet the current and future industry and labor needs of the energy sector;
  • provide opportunities for students to become qualified for placement in traditional and emerging energy sector jobs;
  • identify areas in which the Department can effectively utilize its technical expertise to support the workforce activities of other Federal agencies;
  • strengthen and engage the workforce training programs of the Department and the National Laboratories in carrying out the Equity in Energy Initiative and other Department workforce priorities;
  • develop plans to support and retrain displaced and unemployed energy sector workers; and
  • prioritize education and job training for underrepresented groups.

Each board member will serve either a two-or three- year term to ensure the full membership body isn’t up for reappointment at the same time. The collective expertise of the 14 EWAB members spans:

  • organized labor
  • economics and workforce development
  • traditional energy industries and emerging energy industries
  • secondary and postsecondary education
  • energy workforce development and apprenticeship programs within state or local government
  • efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented groups, including workers of color, women, veterans, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, in the workforce

Members with two-year terms (through September 2025):

  1. Deeana Ahmed, Vice President of Strategy, Policy, and Sustainability, Our Next Energy (ONE)
  2. Amanda Cage, President and CEO, National Fund for Workforce Solutions
  3. Missy Henrikson, Executive Director, Center for Energy Workforce Development
  4. Chris Levesque, President and CEO, TerraPower
  5. Dr. Daniel (Dan) Marschall, Retired Research Professor, George Washington University Institute of Public Policy
  6. Dr. Girard Melancon, Board Member and Past Board President, National Council for Workforce Education

Members with three-year terms (through September 2026):

  1. Maureen Conway, Vice President and Executive Director of the Economic Opportunities Program, the Aspen Institute
  2. Becky Ervin, Assistant Director, International Skilled Trades Department, UAW
  3. Sarita Gupta, Vice President of U.S. Programs, Ford Foundation
  4. Dr. Tom Kriger, Director of Education and Research, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU)
  5. Anne McMonigle, Executive Director, LA Apprenticeship Readiness Fund
  6. Kay Seven, Co-Chair, National Indian Employment Training Conference and Director, Adult Education at Nez Perce Tribe
  7. Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President, Augusta Technical College
  8. Allison Ziogas, U.S. Labor Relations Manager, Orsted

The first meeting of the EWAB will be scheduled for this fall, with a notification posted on the Federal Register at least 15 days ahead of the meeting, including information on how the public can join.

For more information on the EWAB and DOE’s efforts to support America’s energy workforce, visit: /policy/21st-century-energy-workforce-advisory-board-ewab.

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About Augusta Technical College

Augusta Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is a public postsecondary institution that provides academic and technical education, customized business and industry training, continuing education, student support, economic development, and adult education services to its service area (Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties) at a competitive financial value. Associate of Science Degrees, Associate of Applied Science Degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit are provided through traditional and distance delivery methods. For more information, visit augustatech.edu.

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