Business
Business
The core mission of the UTR Programs is threefold, focusing on students, educational institutions, and DOE research priorities:
The hydrocarbons and geothermal energy industries support jobs across a broad range of occupations, creating opportunity for American workers from all education levels. According to the current Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hydrocarbons and geothermal energy industries employ nearly 441,000 Americans, and the wages in these industries exceed the median wage in the U.S. economy by 64%-111%. By funding early-stage research at U.S. colleges and universities, the UTR Program maximizes the number of students gaining practical experience with industry partners in science and engineering research and development. The program supports development of technologies that strengthen the domestic energy workforce.
Employers in the hydrocarbon and geothermal fuels sector face significant hiring challenges, despite competitive wages. They frequently report difficulty finding candidates with adequate qualifications, experience, training, or technical skills in both STEM (scientists and engineers) and skilled trades (technicians and maintenance workers). This situation is compounded by an anticipated surge of retirements across the fossil energy and mining industries.
The majority of employers in the fossil fuels sector report that hiring is “somewhat” to “very” difficult, often finding that the talent pool has insufficient qualifications or lacks experience, training, or technical skills. Employers indicate high difficulty in hiring in workforce tracks of both STEM (scientists and engineers) and skilled trades (technicians and maintenance workers). This is the case for both fossil energy and mining industries. The University Training and Research Program is HGEO's primary initiative to cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers. Its funded R&D projects at U.S. colleges and universities help to equip students with cutting-edge, translatable skillsets, which are vital for contributing to the U.S. workforce and economy in critical areas such as extraction, processing, and utilization of fossil energy and related resources, point-source carbon capture; carbon utilization, and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in these fields.
Source: 2025 U.S. Energy Employment Report
Investments made through HGEO's UTR program are designed to build a highly skilled workforce that is critical to the success of HGEO's investments in fossil energy and mining technologies. This program directly aligns with Executive Orders 14277, Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth; 14278, Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future; and 14283, White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
