IRA and BIL spark green workforce development

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are shaping up to be huge boons for the U.S. economy and the buildings workforce in particular. The pair of laws, together with the CHIPS and Science Act, are projected to support nearly 3 million total new jobs per year, according to a 2023 study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI). The study projects the IRA and BIL will create more than 26,000 direct jobs per year in the buildings sector alone and many more across the supply chain.

One potential impact

For some occupations, the creation of more jobs also means labor shortages could be looming.

A second study by PERI anticipates the construction sector will have the highest concentration of labor shortages as the rollout of IRA and BIL continues. The report identifies a range of construction sector occupations likely to face the largest shortages, including carpenters, construction managers, supervisors of mechanics, installers and repairers.

Ramping up workforce development in the near term will be critical to meeting growing demand for green building professionals and construction workers for years to come.

New federal funding for workforce development

In response to the growing need for trained labor, new workforce development funding from the IRA and BIL is beginning to roll out for energy efficiency and other buildings-related professions. New workforce development programs include the

• Building Training and Assessment Centers Program-In November, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $900,000 grants to 10 institutions of higher education through BIL funding to establish the inaugural building training and assessment centers. The centers will educate and train building technicians and engineers on implementing modern building technologies.
• Career Skills Training Program-BIL also provided $10 million in grants for nonprofit-led partnerships to create training programs designed for students to obtain an industry-related certification to install energy-efficient buildings technologies. The application deadline was in February, and selections are expected to be announced in May.
• Energy Auditor Training Grant Program-States with a demonstrated need for assistance for training commercial or residential energy auditors are eligible to apply for competitive grants of up to $2 million under this BIL-funded program. The deadline for states to submit full applications is July 12. Selections are anticipated in late 2024.
• Training for Residential Energy Contractors Program-Through this program, $200 million is available under the IRA for state energy offices to train, test and certify residential energy efficiency and electrification contractors, including contractors who work in multifamily buildings. DOE has made $150 million available for formula awards to states, and in March announced up to $40 million in additional competitive grants with applications due July 12.

With these different funding opportunities, we can expect to see more building industry workforce development programs rolling out over the coming months and years to meet the growing demand for green workers.

USGBC's green building careers page is a great place to learn more about different career options and pathways in the green building industry.

Learn more about green careers

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