Duke Energy joins national Careers Electric™ coalition to build next-generation energy workforce

• The coalition aims to train 25,000 workers over the next 10 years, creating pathways to stable, well-paying careers

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has joined the newly launched Careers Electric coalition, a new sector-driven approach to workforce development in America's skilled trades, with a targeted focus on North Carolina.

Why it matters: As electrification accelerates across energy, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, electrical careers are projected to grow by roughly 10% over the next decade, with workforce gaps widening as experienced workers retire.

Our role: Duke Energy will help connect training to real-world job opportunities and ensure programs are aligned with industry needs, with a focus on commercial electricians, where demand is most acute. The company will:

• Connect students to careers: Partner with companies like Zachry Group to create clearer pathways from training to job opportunities, particularly tied to major energy infrastructure and generation projects.
• Invest in training capacity: Support community colleges and workforce programs through Duke Energy Foundation funding, which has provided more than $6 million over the past five years to strengthen the energy workforce pipeline.
• Support local expansion: Champion new or expanded programs near Duke Energy construction sites to better align workforce supply with regional demand.
• Engage students early: Participate in graduation events and career fairs at training academies to raise awareness of electrical careers and connect students directly to employers.

North Carolina focus: The coalition's early work in North Carolina could become a blueprint for other states and centers on two key pathways:

• High schools: In 2026, the program aims to train 200-250 students and plans to scale annually.
• Community colleges: Ten North Carolina community colleges will expand existing advanced electrician programs by 20% over the next three years, with plans to grow to additional schools.

What they're saying:

• Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy's North Carolina president: "The energy transition and our state's growth depend on a strong skilled workforce. We're grateful to Siemens for their leadership in launching Careers Electric and bringing partners together for this first-of-its-kind effort. This initiative is about creating clear, accessible pathways into high-paying electrical careers – especially those that don't require a four-year degree – and helping build a pipeline of electricians ready to support North Carolina's future."
• David Etzwiler, CEO of the Siemens Foundation: "High-quality workforce training is essential not only to meet employers' growing demand for skilled talent, but also to expand access to well-paying trade careers for more Americans. Seeing industry leaders, including competitor companies, come together as part of this powerful coalition underscores just how important workforce training is to the strength of our economies and communities."

Who's involved: Duke Energy joins founding industry partners ABB, Amazon Web Services, JetZero, Hitachi Energy and Siemens, alongside workforce development organizations and education leaders working to scale proven training models nationwide.

Local partners include:

• NC Chamber, NC Department of Commerce, NC Electric Cooperatives
• NC Business Committee for Education, Wake Technical Community College, NC Community College System Office and Foundation, EVITP, and Families and Workers Fund

Duke Energy 
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

Contact: Madison McDonald
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy