Ready to Compete: Building a Workforce for the Clean Energy Economy
As clean energy jobs continue to surge, chambers and economic development groups face a key question: How do we ensure our communities are ready to compete — and ready to be chosen by site selection consultants?
In 2023, LG Energy Solution announced it would quadruple its original investment in a battery manufacturing plant in Queen Creek, Arizona, bringing its total planned spend to $5.5 billion. This massive project will create thousands of high-quality jobs and is set to become the largest stand-alone battery complex in North America.
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), Arizona’s statewide economic development agency, recently joined LG Energy Solution for a ribbon-cutting for the new training center.
Alyssa Tufts, Vice President of Public Relations at the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), spoke about what it takes to build the workforce for an investment of this scale. “When a new company selects Arizona, the company starts recruiting very early—way before they build,” Tufts explained.
In the case of LG Energy Solution, the ACA played a leadership role by launching Future 48, a statewide workforce accelerator network focused on training for high-growth industries like advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
Future 48 is part of a broader statewide network that includes Drive 48, which was launched when Lucid Motors opened its electric vehicle factory in Casa Grande. Both Future 48 and Drive 48 are public-private partnerships designed to make sure Arizona has the skilled workforce employers need today—and tomorrow. (as an aside, ’48’ is a nod to the lower 48 states.)
The Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, the City of Casa Grande, and Pinal County were at the table early, advocating for and supporting Drive 48 alongside local and state partners. These training programs didn’t start from scratch—they built on Arizona’s strong network of community colleges to leverage to develop the skills employers need. In fact, when it comes to clean energy workforce development, most states already have existing programs in place that cover advanced manufacturing, electrical, and energy work.
The takeaway for chambers and economic development leaders is clear: investments like LG’s don’t just happen. They go where the workforce is ready. Chambers and economic development organizations play a critical role in advocating for smart workforce policy, securing funding, and ensuring that colleges and training centers have the resources to deliver. Clean energy is a transformative economic opportunity, but only communities prepared to meet workforce needs will capture the jobs and investment.