Energy Workforce for the 21st Century Act of 2015

Summary: Energy Workforce for the 21st Century Act of 2015 This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a comprehensive program to improve education and training for energy- and manufacturing-related jobs, with emphasis on increasing the number of skilled individuals from underrepresented groups trained to work in those jobs.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Workforce for the 21st 
Century Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Community college.--The term ``community college'' has 
        the meaning given the term ``junior or community college'' in 
        section 312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1058).
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means--
                    (A) a historically Black college or university, 
                which shall have the meaning given the term ``part B 
                institution'' in section 322 of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061);
                    (B) a Predominantly Black Institution, as defined 
                in section 318(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059e(b));
                    (C) a Hispanic-serving institution, as defined in 
                section 502(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)); or
                    (D) a Tribal College or University, as defined in 
                section 316(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).
            (6) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (7) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program 
        established under section 3(a).
            (8) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
            (10) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' means science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics.

SEC. 3. ENERGY AND MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and carry out a 
comprehensive program to improve education and training for energy- and 
manufacturing-related jobs in order to increase the number of skilled 
workers trained to work in energy- and manufacturing-related fields, 
including by--
            (1) encouraging underrepresented groups, including ethnic 
        minorities, women, veterans, and socioeconomically 
        disadvantaged individuals to enter into the STEM fields;
            (2) encouraging leaders in the education system of the 
        United States to equip students with the skills, mentorships, 
        training, and technical expertise necessary to fill the 
        employment opportunities vital to managing and operating the 
        energy- and manufacturing-related industries of the United 
        States;
            (3) providing students and other candidates for employment 
        with the opportunity to gain necessary skills and 
        certifications for skilled, semiskilled, and highly skilled 
        energy and manufacturing-related jobs; and
            (4) strengthening and more fully engaging programs of the 
        Department and the National Laboratories in carrying out the 
        Minorities in Energy Initiative of the Department.
    (b) Priority.--The Secretary shall make providing education and 
training underrepresented groups for energy and manufacturing-related 
jobs a national priority under the program.
    (c) Direct Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
        shall provide direct assistance (including financial assistance 
        awards, technical expertise, mentorships, internships, and 
        partnerships) to secondary schools, community colleges, 
        workforce development organizations, nonprofit organizations, 
        labor organizations, apprenticeship programs, tribal colleges 
        and universities, and minority-serving institutions.
            (2) Distribution.--The Secretary shall distribute direct 
        assistance under the program in a manner proportional to the 
        needs and demand for jobs in the energy- and manufacturing-
        related industry, consistent with information obtained under 
        subsections (e)(3) and (i).
    (d) Clearinghouse.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
shall establish a clearinghouse--
            (1) to maintain and update information and resources on 
        training and workforce development programs for energy- and 
        manufacturing-related jobs; and
            (2) to act as a resource, and provide guidance, for 
        secondary schools, institutions of higher education (including 
        community colleges and minority-serving institutions), 
        workforce development organizations, labor management 
        organizations, and industry organizations that would like to 
        develop and implement energy- and manufacturing-related 
        training programs.
    (e) Collaboration.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    (A) collaborate with secondary schools, 
                institutions of higher education (including community 
                colleges, minority-serving institutions, and tribal 
                colleges and universities), workforce training 
                organizations, labor organizations, National 
                Laboratories, State energy offices, State boards and 
                local boards (as such terms are defined in section 3 of 
                the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 
                3102)), and energy- and manufacturing-related 
                industries;
                    (B) in order to share best practices and approaches 
                that best suit national, State, and local needs, 
                encourage and foster collaboration, mentorships, and 
                partnerships among--
                            (i) entities (including labor 
                        organizations, industries, secondary schools, 
                        institutions of higher education (including 
                        community colleges), and workforce development 
                        organizations) that provide effective job 
                        training programs in energy- and manufacturing-
                        related fields; and
                            (ii) entities (including secondary schools, 
                        institutions of higher education (including 
                        community colleges), and workforce development 
                        programs) that seek to establish similar job 
                        training programs; and
                    (C) collaborate with the Commissioner of the Bureau 
                of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of Commerce, the 
                Director of the Bureau of the Census, and energy- and 
                manufacturing-related industries to develop a 
                comprehensive and detailed understanding of the 
                workforce needs and opportunities of energy- and 
                manufacturing-related industries.
            (2) Report.--The Secretary shall publish an annual report 
        on energy- and manufacturing-related job creation as determined 
        as a result of the collaboration under paragraph (1)(C) and 
        sorted--
                    (A) by the sectors described in subsection (i); and
                    (B) by State and region.
    (f) Guidelines for Educational Institutions.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the 
        Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, the 
        Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation, and industry, shall develop 
        guidelines for educational institutions of all levels, 
        including for elementary schools, secondary schools, community 
        colleges, and undergraduate and postbaccalaureate programs of 
        study at institutions of higher education, to help provide 
        graduates with the skills necessary to work in energy- and 
        manufacturing-related jobs.
            (2) Input.--In developing guidelines under paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall solicit input from the oil, gas, coal, 
        renewable, nuclear, utility, energy-intensive and advanced 
        manufacturing, and pipeline industries.
            (3) Energy and manufacturing efficiency and conservation 
        initiatives.--The guidelines developed under paragraph (1) 
        shall include grade-specific guidelines for teaching energy and 
        manufacturing efficiency and conservation initiatives to 
        provide education to students and families.
            (4) STEM education.--The guidelines developed under 
        paragraph (1) shall promote STEM education as STEM relates to 
        job opportunities in energy- and manufacturing-related fields 
        of study in elementary schools, secondary schools, and 
        institutions of higher education (including community colleges) 
        nationally.
    (g) Outreach to Minority-Serving Institutions.--In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary shall--
            (1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to 
        minority-serving institutions;
            (2) make resources available to minority-serving 
        institutions with the objective of increasing the number of 
        skilled minorities and women trained to go into the energy- and 
        manufacturing-related sectors;
            (3) encourage industry to improve the opportunities 
        available for students of minority-serving institutions to 
        participate in industry internships and cooperative work-study 
        programs; and
            (4) partner with the National Laboratories to increase the 
        participation of underrepresented groups in internships, 
        fellowships, traineeships, and employment at the National 
        Laboratories.
    (h) Outreach to Displaced and Unemployed Energy and Manufacturing 
Workers.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall--
            (1) give special consideration to increasing outreach to 
        employers and job trainers preparing displaced and unemployed 
        energy and manufacturing workers for emerging energy- and 
        manufacturing-related jobs;
            (2) make resources available to entities serving displaced 
        and unemployed energy and manufacturing workers with the 
        objective of training individuals to reenter the energy and 
        manufacturing workforce; and
            (3) encourage the energy- and manufacturing-related 
        industries to improve opportunities for displaced and 
        unemployed energy and manufacturing workers to participate in 
        internships and cooperative work-study programs.
    (i) Guidelines To Develop Skills for an Energy and Manufacturing 
Industry Workforce.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall 
consult with representatives from energy- and manufacturing-related 
industries (including the oil, gas, coal, nuclear, utility, pipeline, 
renewable, petrochemical, manufacturing, and electrical construction 
industries) to identify the areas of highest need in each sector and to 
develop guidelines for the skills necessary to develop a workforce 
trained to go into the following sectors of the energy- and 
manufacturing-related industries:
            (1) The energy efficiency industry, including work--
                    (A) in energy efficiency, conservation, 
                weatherization, or retrofitting; or
                    (B) as inspectors or auditors.
            (2) The pipeline industry, including work--
                    (A) in pipeline construction and maintenance; or
                    (B) as engineers or technical advisors.
            (3) The utility industry, including work as utility 
        workers, linemen, electricians, pole workers, repairmen, 
        scientists, engineers, or mathematicians.
            (4) The alternative fuels industry, including work in 
        biofuel development and production.
            (5) The nuclear industry, including work as scientists, 
        engineers, technicians, mathematicians, or security personnel.
            (6) The oil and gas industry, including work as scientists, 
        engineers, technicians, mathematicians, petrochemical 
        engineers, or geologists.
            (7) The renewable energy industry, including work in the 
        development, manufacturing, and production of renewable energy 
        sources (such as solar, hydropower, wind, or geothermal 
        energy).
            (8) The coal industry, including work as coal miners, 
        engineers, developers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art 
        coal facilities, technology vendors, coal transportation 
        workers and operators, or mining equipment vendors.
            (9) The manufacturing industry, including work as 
        operations technicians, operations and design in additive 
        manufacturing, 3-D printing, and advanced composites, 
        industrial energy efficiency management systems, including 
        power electronics, and other innovative technologies.
            (10) The chemical manufacturing industry, including work--
                    (A) in construction (such as welders, pipefitters, 
                or tool and die makers); or
                    (B) as instrument and electrical technicians, 
                machinists, chemical process operators, chemical 
                engineers, quality and safety professionals, or 
                reliability engineers.
    (j) Enrollment in Training and Apprenticeship Programs.--In 
carrying out the program, the Secretary shall consult with industries, 
labor organizations, and community-based workforce organizations to 
help identify students and other candidates, including from 
underrepresented communities such as minorities, women, and veterans, 
to enroll in training and apprenticeship programs for energy- and 
manufacturing-related jobs.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary.