Minority Serving Institution Funding Awards to Foster DOE Office of Environmental Management Workforce Pipeline

Funding for Financial Assistance Awards Totals $24.5 Million

WASHINGTON, D.C. – DOE announced funding opportunities last week totaling $24.5 million for minority serving institutions (MSI).

The DOE Office of Environmental Management Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (EM MSIPP) financial assistance awards will focus on enhancing MSI programs to help foster a sustainable and diverse EM science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce pipeline.

The awards will also aid in promoting the development of a nationally engaged scientific and engineering workforce that will lead to future career pathways in the EM complex for underrepresented groups.

Established in 2014, the EM MSIPP is designed to help maintain a well-trained, technically skilled and diverse workforce by partnering with MSIs to develop highly qualified STEM students.

Click here for more information on this funding opportunity.

ONE-STOP JOB SHOP: A new EM webpage titled EM Jobs, Internships & Fellowships offers a variety of resources on EM employment positions, internships and other programs as well as guidance on applying for jobs with EM. The site features useful links to EM and the broader DOE positions available on USAJobs, DOE veterans recruitment, graduate fellowship and postdoctoral research programs, and internships. In addition, the website houses past EM Update articles highlighting EM recruitment efforts, internships and more across the DOE complex.

In an occasional series, the EM Update newsletter is exploring EM hiring efforts and recruitment struggles amid a looming surge of retirements in over half of EM’s workforce in the next three to five years.

Check out EM External Affairs Office team member Carly Howard's reports on EM's work to build an inclusive STEM workforce of the future here and here. 

Howard's EM Update reporting drew the attention of Michael Butler, host of the “Gone Fission Nuclear Report Podcast” covering EM topics. As a result, Butler will focus on EM's recruitment efforts and challenges in one of his weekly podcasts due out this month.

Butler is ready with several topics to discuss during the upcoming podcast. 

"Our entire focus is the EM program," he said. "EM is obviously in a hiring mode and looking for new employees for the EM workforce."

Butler plans to look into what's driving the need for employees and discuss how critical that need is. He also plans to talk about the disciplines needed for employees working in the cleanup.

"Why should someone choose a career in EM, and who is your competition?" Butler said. "What's driving the need for EM workers? That's the focus of it."

Last fall, EM Update highlighted one of Butler's podcasts in honor of Veterans Day. Butler, a Vietnam War veteran, hosted three special guests from EM, who shared opportunities for veterans to do meaningful and purposeful work in their new life. They noted that EM is looking to hire veterans for technical and business administration roles. Click here to see EM Update’s salute to EM veterans around the complex.