Regional Workforce Initiative (RWFI)

Aligning Energy Innovation with Workforce Readiness

NETL’s RWFI links cutting-edge energy research and demonstrations to training, jobs, and regional economic opportunity — starting in Appalachia and scaling nationwide.

Our Mission

The mission of NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative is to create a platform for stakeholders to engage the laboratory, industry partners, and other federal agencies in collaborative workforce development efforts.

We address the skills gaps necessary to commercialize and deploy DOE and NETL energy technologies, ensuring that hydrocarbon energy research investments translate into durable jobs and economic growth for the Appalachian region and the entire nation.

Industry and Stakeholder Engagement

Catalyze industry-ready talent pipelines that support domestic production, strengthen supply chains, and accelerate the commercialization of critical energy technologies and energy dominance.

Regional and National Economic Growth

Maximize domestic energy production by translating research into durable economic opportunities through energy careers.

Technology Thrusts

The RWFI connects DOE research priorities to industry-validated workforce pathways.

Critical Minerals and Advanced Materials Workforce Hub

This coordinated, data-driven workforce integration platform supports domestic mineral recovery from coal, fly ash, and acid mine drainage across extraction, processing, refining, and advanced manufacturing of products and alloys.

Oil & Natural Gas Energy Systems Workforce Hub

Supporting U.S. energy security and industrial feedstocks, this hub aligns workforce readiness with infrastructure modernization in the areas of production, transport and storage, power, fuels and chemicals, and advanced fuels processing across the oil and gas value chain.

Coal Energy Systems Workforce Hub

Modernizing U.S. coal systems for energy security and grid reliability, this hub supports the alignment of workforce readiness with advanced materials, including mining and processing, conversion and products, power and capture, and hybrid grid configurations.

Geothermal Energy Systems Workforce Hub

The applied workforce integration platform for next-generation geothermal technologies leverages U.S. expertise in drilling, reservoir engineering, and subsurface resource management to provide reliable baseload energy.

RWFI Cross-Sector Frameworks

DOE energy technology priorities are aligned with regional and national workforce systems through eight core operational pillars.

Workforce Intelligence and Occupational Frameworks

Occupational Crosswalk System (SOC–NAICS mapping across technologies) and Workforce Readiness Scans (labor supply, training capacity, skills gaps) create the workforce analytical backbone to quantify workforce needs and opportunities.

Industry and Stakeholder Engagement

These structured processes engage industry, employers, training providers, and other stakeholders and validate workforce demand, skill requirements, and industry needs.

Workforce Development and Training Resources

This framework supports and creates workforce content resources (short-duration, targeted content, infographics, etc.) to provide expertise into translating DOE technologies into workforce-relevant activities.

Digital Delivery and Dashboards and Workforce Communications

Digital Portals and Dashboards and Workforce Communications deliver insights and pathways to users, making workforce data accessible, actionable, and scalable.

Proven Impact

RWFI tracks progress through catalyzed funding, industry engagement, and measurable workforce outcomes. To date, more than $2.5 million in follow-on funding has been catalyzed.

Industry-Validated Data-Driven Collaborative

500+

Stakeholders in Network

200+

Member Institutions

3000+

Webinar Registrants

Stakeholder Network

RWFI’s stakeholder ecosystem, which spans academia, industry, workforce boards, and government agencies, guides technology-to-workforce translation.

Engagement Channels

Webinar series and 101 sessions
Regional convenings and forums

Partner Types

Industry and trade associations
Colleges, universities, and training providers
State, local, and federal agencies

How to Connect

Resources and Archives

The access tools, data, and information listed below cover a range of energy technologies to support planning and research into industry career opportunities.

Webinar Archive

Lists links to the RWFI 101 series and workforce best-practice sessions.

Oil and Gas Workforce Resource

Provides curated links and insights for oil and gas workforce, safety, and training initiatives.

DOE Critical Minerals and Materials Program

Supports secure domestic critical mineral and materials supply chains for U.S. energy and manufacturing needs.

Workforce Advisory Board

Advises DOE on strategies to strengthen the energy workforce.

Critical Minerals Career Map

Illustrates key occupations and career pathways supporting domestic critical minerals production.

Advanced Manufacturing Career Map

Highlights manufacturing careers across major job categories and skill levels.

US Energy and Employment Report (USEER)

Advises DOE on strategies to strengthen the energy workforce.

ISEED

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation established the Industrial Systems Energy Efficiency Development (ISEED) Collaborative to advance manufacturing workforce development. NETL RWFI serves on the labs steering committee.