Ed Legge is a spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute, an association of shareholder-owned electric companies and one of four members of the Center for Workforce Development. The nonprofit partnership focuses on building a work force pipeline to meet future needs, working with unions and local educators.
How big a deal is this possible shortage?
It affects every utility in the country. It?s something that no one is immune from. It?s as important as having enough poles and wires to meet electricity demand, because you have to have people to maintain and build the system. They?re the core … and it?s a specialized group. It?s a trade and it?s a skill.
How do you meet that demand?
This is a countrywide issue, but at the same time, the way you address it is at the ground level with state and local education systems, getting curricula developed and standards. We?re working with the [Department of Energy], state educators and our members on that. It?s going to be different problems and different solutions for different companies, just like getting the power [into homes] is different for everyone.
So how do you sell electrical work as a career?
The product that we generate and deliver is in ever-increasing demand. We?re expecting a 40 percent increase in demand for power in the next 20-25 years, and that?s the kind of the horizon we?re talking about. It?s a very stable business, it?s a very rewarding career. In an age where a lot of pies are shrinking, this is a pie that?s growing.
