America’s manufacturing sector is at a turning point, and nowhere is the opportunity greater than in the electroindustry, where careers power our energy future.
Debra Phillips
President & CEO, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
The U.S. electroindustry is the backbone of our nation’s energy system and offers one of the most dynamic career landscapes in America today. Electricity demand is accelerating, driven by data centers, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and the electrification of our infrastructure. According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association’s (NEMA’s) “A Reliable Grid for an Electric Future,” electricity demand will grow by more than 50% by 2050, or 2% each year for the next 25 years. As technology transforms how we live, work, and move, electrical manufacturers will require a new generation of skilled workers to help meet that demand and deliver cutting-edge innovations.
NEMA is a trade association that represents over 300 manufacturers who create the technologies that power modern life, from grid infrastructure to EV chargers to energy storage systems. Together, our industry contributes over 1% of U.S. GDP, provides more than 460,000 American jobs, and has invested $185 billion in the past 8 years to expand domestic manufacturing, while reducing our dependencies on unfriendly supply chains. Continued success depends on a talent pipeline ready to innovate and meet tomorrow’s energy demands.
In the next five to 10 years, retirements will open a wave of opportunities across engineering, skilled trades, manufacturing, and technology fields. These high-quality, high-impact careers offer not just good wages but a chance to drive America’s energy leadership.
A future-proof career path
The electrical industry is innovating with unprecedented speed. Our industry — comprising manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and manufacturing representatives — is creating smarter and more reliable grids, lowering the cost of electricity through efficiency innovations, and building stronger, electrified infrastructure. Success will require welders, assemblers, electricians, software developers, cybersecurity experts, engineers, logistics experts, and project managers, all working together to electrify and connect the future.
NEMA is working closely with industry leaders, education partners, and policymakers to strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers. We are advancing initiatives that support apprenticeships, expand access to technical education, and promote workforce development as a national priority for America’s energy and manufacturing dominance. NEMA is also providing direct leadership, including through a new learning management platform designed to support the whole industry, NEMA Academy.
NEMA and the industry are leading the way to invest more in U.S. manufacturing, helping manufacturers navigate domestic content requirements through the Make It American Program™, which strengthens U.S. supply chains, supports American jobs, and keeps critical energy and infrastructure projects moving forward.
For students, veterans, mid-career changers, and innovators alike, electrical manufacturing offers more than a job; it offers a career with purpose that powers homes, industries, and communities.
The future is electric, and it is being built by a skilled U.S. workforce. Learn more at MakeitElectric.org.
