On November 6, 2025, Sustainable Pittsburgh convened its last Clean Energy Workforce Roundtable of the year, marking the first session held outside Allegheny County. Graciously hosted by Washington & Jefferson College, the event brought a fresh perspective by connecting higher education with on-the-ground workforce and economic development discussions in rural counties.
Cleantech Clusters: Building on Strengths
Julia Meisel, manager at RMI, kicked off the meeting with a presentation on her organization’s regional analysis of cleantech clusters, which drew on interviews with stakeholders across business, government, and academia.
She outlined three capabilities that position Southwestern Pennsylvania, and especially Washington and Greene counties, to lead in cleantech development:
- A strong foundation in research and manufacturing, giving the region a competitive edge in emerging energy transition industries.
- Robust and expanding workforce training programs that are preparing a highly skilled advanced manufacturing workforce to support cleantech growth.
- Expertise in robotics and grid technologies, which continues to drive innovation and strengthen the region’s manufacturing ecosystem.
While these sectors hold major potential, Meisel noted that the region must overcome persistent headwinds such as limited incentive programs, fragmented workforce systems, and wraparound service gaps like childcare and transportation. Her recommendations included building stronger coordination among partners, aligning cleantech development with community priorities, and strengthening the lab-to-market pipeline to retain innovation locally.
Panel Discussion: Connecting Research, Workforce, and Community
Following Meisel’s presentation, she joined fellow panelists Corey Young, director of the Center for Energy Policy and Management and instructor at Washington & Jefferson College, and Reeja Jayan professor at Carnegie Mellon University and founder of SeaLion Energy to discuss how Southwestern Pennsylvania can turn its assets into competitive advantages.
Building on her presentation, Meisel emphasized that regional success will depend on aligning infrastructure, workforce skills, and community priorities to support cleantech cluster development. This theme of alignment carried through the discussion, as Young spoke about the importance of empowering local officials to ask informed questions about new technologies and to build confidence through access to clear, unbiased information. He noted that comprehensive planning can help communities coordinate around infrastructure, workforce, and land-use challenges, yet many areas still face gaps between existing infrastructure and the needs of emerging industries. Other regions, he observed, have bridged these divides by focusing investment in places with ready infrastructure and by building political and community support around shared goals.
Jayan added that innovation and workforce alignment must move hand in hand. Drawing on her experience transitioning from research to commercialization, she underscored the need to connect university innovation to local manufacturing and community needs. Collaboration between research institutions, employers, and local governments, she said, is critical to ensuring that technological advancements deliver tangible benefits across the region.
The conversation also turned to education and awareness. Young noted that many students and parents are still unfamiliar with the range of energy-related careers available, while Jayan emphasized the importance of introducing STEM and clean energy concepts early, particularly for girls. Audience questions built on these points, focusing on how to make clean energy careers more visible, relatable, and inspiring for the next generation.
On the Ground: Data Centers and Energy in Rural SWPA
One of the day’s biggest talking points was the rise of data centers across the region. Robbie Matesic and Nate Regotti of McNees Government Relations presented insights on three proposed data center projects in Greene County, including one that had been approved by the county’s development board just days earlier.
They explained that data centers like the 900-megawatt Project Hummingbird represent both opportunity and challenge for local communities. Development is advancing so quickly that many counties have little time to fully understand the implications or prepare the right questions before approvals are needed. With local governments eager to attract investment, decisions are often made under pressure.
Community concerns, they noted, tend to focus less on environmental impacts such as water use or emissions and more on immediate issues like job creation, noise, and local infrastructure. The presenters encouraged participants to consider how the significant capital flowing into these projects could also be leveraged to support clean tech cluster development in the region.
Participants discussed the potential for co-locating cleantech manufacturing near data center sites to build synergies between energy demand and innovation. The group agreed that regional collaboration, comprehensive planning, and community readiness will be critical to ensuring these projects deliver long-term, shared benefits.
Committee Breakouts: Tools and Collaboration
Attendees then divided into two committee sessions to advance ongoing Roundtable work:
- The Career Maps Committee reviewed updates to the Future Energy Career Maps and discussed how Sustainable Pittsburgh can best assist unions, educators and community organizations in adopting the maps to support potential job seekers in their networks.
- The Workforce Vitality Committee reviewed how the Workforce Vitality Index Tool can help funders, workforce boards, and municipalities better target resources where they are most needed. The group identified key user groups that would benefit most from the tool, laying the groundwork for its full rollout in 2026.
Looking Ahead
This latest Roundtable closed out a productive year of collaboration that included major progress on career mapping, policy alignment, and regional workforce coordination.
In 2026, the Clean Energy Workforce Roundtable will continue to focus on ecosystem connectivity, barrier reduction, and equitable workforce growth, with upcoming sessions planned for January, April, July and October.
For more information or to join an upcoming meeting, contact: John Ukenye – jukenye@sustainablepittsburgh.org