Workforce Challenges in US Battery Manufacturing: Closing Skills Gaps

In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Battery Workforce Initiative (BWI). It established a team of experts from DOL, AFL-CIO, and key domestic battery companies to address the critical talent shortages owing to the booming lithium battery manufacturing in the US. Almost three years later, a considerable number of issues remain, notably with difficulties in recruiting skilled labor - leading to long and frustrating hiring cycles - and even a lack of interest in battery tech programs. Take Michigan, for example; only 220 students have signed up for the state’s $5 million pilot program offering tuition grants for students pursuing EV and battery technician programs despite the goal to train 2,000 workers by the end of 2026.

The US is just at the cusp of battery manufacturing, and the growing investment in domestic battery and electric vehicle (EV) supply chains in the next decade will only exacerbate these workforce problems. A large volume of appropriately skilled workers is imperative, otherwise, US battery manufacturing will be stifled and further lag behind its foreign competitors. Current government and academic workforce programs need to be strengthened and accelerated in order to attract a sufficient number of workers with the requisite skill set.

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“Green” collar jobs face the largest talent gap

US demand for lithium batteries is expected to increase sixfold by 2030, driven by increased adoption in the EV and energy storage systems (ESS) markets and the US’s desire to curtail foreign dependence on lithium battery supply chains to promote economic power and national security. The Environmental Defense Fund expects over 1,000 GWh per year of battery production and over 40 battery plants in 2030. According to the W.E. Upjohn Institute, there will be 310,000 jobs in the lithium-battery industry at the start of the next decade.

Gigafactory plants in North America. Credit: Volta Foundation under CC BY 4.0 Deed.

To understand the workforce needs and skills gaps given the anticipated growth in US battery production, the Center of Automotive Research (CAR) surveyed 158 stakeholders in battery-related industries and found that  80%+ of respondents reported shortages of skilled local candidates. “Green” collar jobs, or the equivalent of blue-collar jobs in the clean energy industry, were in the shortest supply, highlighting the critical need for skilled technicians, assemblers, and engineers.

CAR also found skill gaps in electrochemistry and mechanical/electrical systems that require a college or graduate degree. Partnerships with universities and professional societies are also critical, and some educational institutions are already adopting certifications or advanced battery engineering programs into their curriculum. 

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Notably, Piper Maddox’s survey found that the battery industry was dominated by White or Asian (80%), and those who identify as female were underrepresented, only making up 10% of the workforce. This underscores the need to address diversity and inclusion as the battery workforce grows.

Governments, academia, and industry have begun to lay the groundwork

Partnerships among governments, educational institutions, and battery companies are critical for successfully implementing workforce development strategies. DOE’s BWI has propelled momentum by uniting these stakeholders and launching pilot training programs based on the standards and curriculum they are developing. In September 2024, DOE established its Battery Workforce Challenge Program, unveiling an initiative to create regional training hubs in collaboration with local community colleges, trade organizations, and workforce organizations to build undergraduate-level battery courses and pilot manufacturing centers to train future workers. The first regional workforce training hub will be piloted in Michigan.

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DOE has announced over $3 billion in investment for battery-adjacent projects through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, creating almost 20,000 jobs due to required community benefit plans. For instance, after being awarded $100 million, Sila Nanotechnologies intends to collaborate with local community colleges at their Moses Lakes facility to create training programs encompassing onsite facilities and coaching by employees, with the aim to hire 300 additional technologists.

Similarly, state and local governments and educational institutions have spearheaded regional initiatives that have complimented federal workforce development strategies. Some prominent examples are below:

New Energy New York: Coalition of academia, non-profits, and community organizations building training centers, college internship programs, and educational courses for the NY battery industry

Michigan Workforce Training and Education Collaborative: Battery technician certification and training offered by three Michigan community colleges

Georgia Quick Start: Program creating training centers near Georgian automotive assembly plants, such as the Hyundai facility

Battery Technician Bay Area Curriculum Development: Creation of battery technician training by community colleges in the Bay Area

UT Dallas Battery Technology Initiative: With funds from DoD, partnerships with Dallas community colleges to provide battery technology training

Accelerating progress toward battery workforce development in the US

In the next few years, workforce development strategies in the battery and battery-adjacent industries need to prioritize ensuring that training curricula align with the needs of battery manufacturers and focusing on skills and roles that will be most lacking in the next decade. In particular, emphasizing the “green” collar workforce is critical to meet manufacturing demands. To expedite workforce development effectively, the industry should focus on the following three guiding action principles:

Partnerships between educational institutions and employers are extremely valuable to accelerating hiring and workforce development. From high-school training programs to launching apprenticeship programs to curriculum development with professional societies and advanced degree programs, community colleges and universities can continue laying the groundwork to prepare for regional training hub buildout.

Engagement with industry partners such as trade organizations and local workforce development will also be critical. For instance, the Bay Area community college coalition developing a battery technician curriculum would benefit from partnering with a local workforce organization, such as Rising Sun, developing training programs for sustainability careers for climate resilience. Partnering with local and state workforce development organizations (e.g., Ohio’s Auto & Advanced Mobility) has been an unlocked opportunity for government and educational institutions to bolster effective curriculum development and implementation. 

Although California and Michigan remain the innovation and battery meccas, there needs to be additional focus on building out the infrastructure for hands-on training in the Battery Belt, the concentration of battery facilities being built in the South and Midwest. Equipped training facilities and pilot battery manufacturing labs need to be co-located with the larger manufacturing production facilities. Thus, building out training hubs in collaboration with local educational institutions will be critical. New Energy New York and the Battery Workforce Challenge are great examples of training hub developments that should be adopted in areas in the Battery Belt.

As these training hubs are coming online, they should all follow a centralized curriculum and lean on similar resources, which BWI is currently developing. The coalescence of all training resources is still missing from the industry, and this can be addressed by community battery organizations such as the Volta Foundation, which specializes in information centralization.

Although the primary focus is on skilling up the “green” collar workforce, Billy Wu, an Associate Professor at Imperial College London, advises the importance of interdisciplinary awareness. Successful commercial deployment of battery technologies will require knowledge beyond just manufacturing of the battery cell, including knowledge in cost-effective sourcing of materials and integration with pack design and end-user applications. Curriculum development will need to account for multidisciplinary teams, and training hubs should also adopt holistic battery talent training.

Building training hubs and a curriculum is not enough if the battery industry cannot retain workers or attract talent from other industries. Upskilling resources should be available at these training hubs for current workers in case industry or roles change over time. Community development should also be a priority. Organizers must also consider public transportation infrastructure development or childcare benefits when building out these manufacturing facilities and training hubs. Unions should not be overlooked as the UAW and workers fight for job security and fair wages.

As mentioned, partnerships with workforce development or trade organizations to get folks interested in the battery industry are crucial to acquiring new talent. Proper messaging will be paramount, such as emphasizing career development pathways and the growing manufacturing to demonstrate good job security in the industry. Following the footsteps of EV Jobs Academy, partnerships with community colleges and training programs to provide incentives, including free or subsidized education, can attract labor from outside the industry to join the battery workforce.

Conclusion

Workforce development strategies are progressing in the desired direction, with BWI spearheading initiatives towards curriculum standardization and a growing number of partnerships forming among educational institutions and industry. Yet, 200,000 new jobs will spring up by 2030 to support the domestic battery supply chain, and more targeted approaches need to be adopted to accelerate the development of a skilled workforce. The above recommendations will ideally expedite the centralization of important stakeholders and coalesce on a standard to build out numerous training hubs in the US, ensuring current and new talent are adequately equipped with the proper skills to meet industry talent demands.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of his employer or affiliated organizations.