In partnership with Sun Tribe, Tom Tom Foundation is hosting a virtual networking event during the Cities Rising Summit focused on connecting talented and diverse students with companies in Virginia's clean energy sector to provide opportunities for actionable, small-group conversations and relationship-building between students and potential employers.
The clean energy sector employs over three million people in the US—three times more than the fossil fuel economy. Clean energy is the fastest-growing source of energy generation in the US. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the two fastest-growing jobs until 2026 will be solar installers and wind technicians.
Currently, Virginia is #10 in clean energy jobs, with more than 78,000 Virginians working in the industry. Of that figure, 5,000 are clean vehicles jobs, over 4,000 are solar jobs, and more than 600 are wind jobs. Already, the demand for wind turbine technicians will grow by 96% by 2026, while demand for solar photovoltaic installers will grow by 105% in the same time.
Virginia will invest more in the clean energy economy in order to meet Virginia’s energy demands completely with clean energy and spur job growth in the Commonwealth. Careers in clean energy are not only in engineering but also in marketing and policy advocacy.
