Battery Workforce Initiative

“American leadership in the global battery supply chain will be based not only on our innovative edge, but also on our skilled workforce of engineers, designers, scientists, and production workers.”

-Jennifer M. Granholm,
Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
(Source: DOE Press Release)

Request for Proposals (RFP)

In support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI), KBC Energy Solutions LLC (KBC) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for participation in the BWI Pilot Training Project.

Interested applicants must be U.S. Companies with a U.S.-based Li-Battery manufacturing, material processing or recycling facility with existing Machine Operator occupations and have such a facility operating at scale or an operating scale-like pilot-facility. The facility must have a minimum of 25 employees, and it must have been in operation for at least six months at the time of application. Download the official announcement for more details.

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New National Guideline Standards

The Battery Workforce Initiative, led by the U.S. Department of Energy, finalized a key tool to help aide in the development of a skilled workforce for the nation’s competitive domestic battery industry. Crafted in concert with the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Guideline Standards (NGS) for the Battery Machine Operator occupation provides a detailed list of the skill requirements and competencies for workers in advanced battery manufacturing facilities. Employers, joint labor-management organizations, educators, and others may use this framework to design and implement job training programs that are responsive to the needs of the industry for workers, both entry-level employees and incumbent workers, who wish to upgrade their skills and knowledge. The standards are certified by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Learn More

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is establishing a team of experts and stakeholders from the advanced battery industry to rapidly develop training and materials for key occupations (as defined by industry) in a manner that complements ongoing workforce development efforts. DOE is coordinating the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI) with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Working for America Institute, Li-Bridge alliance members, and other organizations.

Purpose

The purpose of this industry-driven, government-facilitated initiative is to speed up the development of high-quality training, starting with existing examples to develop consensus on core training needs, and then develop training for use by companies and local training providers. The initiative will:

Convene battery industry organizations to cooperate in the development of training by sharing non-proprietary requirements for high-demand occupations.
Engage training experts from manufacturers, labor, education, government, and other organizations to participate in facilitated workshops that quickly distill common skills and abilities needed in each industry segment and accelerate decision making.
Translate those needs into educational and on-the-job training requirements, forming the basis for training materials and guides.

The initiative includes employer-based testing and validation programs that will test the effectiveness of draft training for high-priority job positions/responsibilities identified by the initiative.

The initiative will result in draft training for each job position/responsibility tested and improved upon during the employer-based testing and validation programs. The draft training will be used to develop a DOL-approved credential and shared with community colleges and other training providers.

Driving Battery Manufacturing Forward

The United States is expected to double its manufacturing capacity by 2025, with more than 10 new battery manufacturing plants expected to be operational in the next five years.
As of 2020, U.S. capacity of global electric vehicle (EV) lithium-ion cell manufacturing was approximately 59 GWh. That number is expected to grow to 224 GWh by 2025.
To keep up with this demand and retain a competitive manufacturing base, the United States needs a robust supply chain and skilled workforce to produce state-of-the-art, reliable EV and grid storage batteries at scale.