HB 398 21st Century Energy Workforce Act

About HB-398

Directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a National Center of Excellence for the 21st Century Workforce Advisory Board to

• (1) support and develop training and science education programs,
• (2) align apprenticeship programs and industry certifications to further develop succession planning in the energy sector,
• (3) integrate educational standards to develop foundational skills for elementary and secondary education and postsecondary education to create a pipeline between education and career, and
• (4) support the replication of existing model energy curricula

DOE shall also establish a pilot program to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for job training to obtain an industry-recognized credential. Grant amounts are limited to $1 million for any one year. The federal share of the cost of a job training and education program using a grant shall be up to 65%, while the non-federal share may not be less than 50% cash.