Help wanted: More female electricians to help America hit its climate goals

Thu, 09/28/2023 - 15:29

A Black female electrician works on an electrical box wearing a blue jumpsuit and white helmet — Only 2% of electricians are women and nearly 80% are white, federal data shows.
Amorn Suriyan/Getty Images

The US needs more electricians to install renewable energy and electric vehicle chargers.
The workforce could shrink 14% by 2030, with demand jumping by as much as 25%, one forecast found.
The industry is mostly white and male. Attracting more women and people of color could help.

The US needs more electricians like Tonya Hicks, and fast.

When Hicks joined her local electrical union nearly 30 years ago in Mississippi, she immediately stood out.

Hicks became the first Black woman in the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to complete an apprenticeship and become a journeyman. Getting those qualifications required her to travel from state to state to rack up enough work hours.