Industrial Energy Productivity: Jobs and Workforce Development in the Midwest

The Midwest accounts for nearly one-fourth of all industrial energy usage in the U.S., including nearly half of all industrial coal consumption; however, only 10 percent of Midwestern industrial facilities are upgrading their equipment to improve productivity. In 2011 the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA), launched an industrial energy productivity (IEP) initiative aimed at improving the competitiveness of Midwestern industry by highlighting the region’s IEP assets and opportunities to improve energy productivity. This report focuses on IEP-related jobs and workforce development needs and assets in the Midwest; specifically, it describes both the occupations that comprise and the training and certification that help develop the IEP workforce.