Focusing on the future workforce is vital to the EM mission, according to panelists at the 2021 National Cleanup Workshop who discussed challenges and possible solutions in recruiting and retaining talent.
Office of Environmental Management
December 14, 2021
minute read time
Focusing on the future workforce is vital to the EM mission, according to panelists at the 2021 National Cleanup Workshop who discussed challenges and possible solutions in recruiting and retaining talent.
The future challenges are coming fast, speakers said, particularly at each DOE site. The Department will need more than just science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to remain competitive and fill critical positions, they said.
Kristen Ellis, EM’s acting director for regulatory, intergovernmental, and stakeholder engagement, moderated the session, which included Mary Kruger, EM’s deputy assistant secretary for resource management; Kim Lebak, president of Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos; Dennis Carr, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions; and Rebecca Casper, mayor of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The panelists offered solutions to help attract, hire and retain qualified staff needed for important projects and sites. Those solutions included student loan forgiveness, increased money for incentives, working closely with subcontractors, and remote working.
Ellis, who is also EM’s senior advisor for STEM and talent acquisition, emphasized the importance of working with students on STEM issues, beginning as early as elementary school, as well as expanding EM’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program.
Click here to watch new EM videos on EM site missions.
To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address.