Workforce and Education

Preparing Skilled Workers for America's Growing Battery Industry

Our workforce development programs address the evolving needs of regional employers while also preparing the next generation of highly skilled professionals to support battery R&D and commercialization. As the U.S. battery sector expands in the next decade, 3.5 million workers will be needed. Addressing this skills gap is an issue of national priority as global competition for talent in critical technology sectors escalates.

Current Projects

Youth & K-12 Education
Community College Pathways
University Programs
Adult & Career Training

Impact at a Glance

$1.8M Granted

to community colleges, non-profits, and universities for workforce development initiatives across the region

Training 275+ Learners in 2025

across skill levels and career pathways from K-12 through adult education

Research Experiences and Internships

22 students placed in research experience and industry experience programs summer 2025

Multi-County Reach

Programs cover Southern Tier, Central New York and Finger Lakes regions with deep collaboration among schools, nonprofits, colleges, and job centers

Regional Support

Contributions from local employers, foundations, and community organizations to Engine workforce programs including BAE Systems, and PayChex

Coming Soon...

Energy Storage Engine Scholars Initiative

Our flagship workforce program, the Energy Storage EngineScholars Initiative, is a regional coalition-based program, anchored by a research university with community colleges and K-12 partners. The Program will develop the next generation of scientists, engineers and translational leaders.

What it will provide:

1.

Academic Alignment
Scholars complete aligned degree programs and curated technical learning modules in the Engine's key technology domains.

2.

Experiential Learning
Real-world capstone projects including thermal runaway mitigation, AI-enabled fault detection systems, and energy storage simulations.

3.

Innovation Sandbox
Hands-on technical simulations and creative problem-solving exercises.

Applied R&D & Paid Internships
Research opportunities with faculty and placements in national laboratories, manufacturers, utilities, and federal agencies.

4.

Energy Storage Symposium
Annual event where Scholars present research findings and demonstrate project outcomes.

5.

Mentorship & Civic Leadership
Scholars support K-12 STEM workshops and community college peer mentorship.

6.

Target: 400+ Scholars enrolled annually across all coalitions by full implementation.