22Apr
New Study: Veterans’ Military Skills Align with High-Growth Jobs in the Clean Energy Economy
Study Reveals Pipeline Between Military Experience and Sustainable Energy Careers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Veterans Power America and the RAND Corporation released a new study showcasing the powerful potential for veterans to transition into civilian careers with the skills they gained during their service. Meanwhile, the report found that wages in the sustainable energy and infrastructure industries tend to be higher relative to other similar fields. Meaning, veterans who struggle to find jobs after service at a higher rate have the potential to transition into the sustainable energy industry with higher wages with minimal training required.
Through the process, the report found that technical, mechanical, construction, and logistics skills taught in many military jobs closely align with employer needs in sustainable energy and infrastructure.
With minimal additional training, many veterans can move directly into good-paying jobs in these fast-growing fields. While, many of the best-aligned civilian roles require only limited additional training or credentials, suggesting that with targeted support, large numbers of veterans could transition quickly into these jobs.
“The data is clear: veterans have the skills to lead America’s clean energy future,” said Lakiesha Lloyd, US Army Veteran and Director of Veteran Power America. “The clean energy industry gives veterans a new mission: powering America’s economy and strengthening our nation’s energy independence. At a time when veterans and their families across the country are feeling the squeeze from rising costs and shrinking opportunities, clean energy is a jobs plan, an economic driver, a security strategy, and a lifeline for communities nationwide.“
“Energy and infrastructure jobs don’t just pay well — they create ripple effects across local economies,” said Jeffrey Wenger, Senior Economist, RAND Corporation. “We find that these occupations have economic multipliers in the range of 1.3 to 1.5, meaning every dollar of output from these jobs generates up to fifty cents more in economic activity. Veterans are an important talent pool for filling these roles.”
Key Findings:
- Across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, 255 total matches were identified between military and civilian occupations.
- The study highlights 55 military occupations that match 57 unique energy and infrastructure occupations, most of which are high-growth, above-average-wage jobs.
- Some military specialties connect to as many as 18 different energy and infrastructure occupations, while others map to more specialized roles.
- Wages in sustainable energy and infrastructure tend to be higher than the overall economy, making these attractive career paths for separating service members.
- Energy and infrastructure occupations show economic multipliers of roughly 1.3 to 1.5 — each $1 in output from these roles generates $1.30–$1.50 in total economic output.
The full report, Translating Military Skills into Energy and Infrastructure Careers: Occupational Matches, Credentials, and State Planning Guidance, is available from the RAND Corporation at https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4152-1.html.
###