Today, the U.S. Department of Education launched the Power Your Future Challenge — the second challenge in its annual CTE Momentum series to prepare high school students for rewarding careers and increase access to career and technical education. The Department invites teams to submit action plans that will advance the use of clean energy in local schools and communities.
“Our nation’s investment in infrastructure has advanced opportunities in clean energy development. We want to make sure that our efforts to build the renewable energy talent pipeline translate to new and exciting opportunities for our students. Through the Power Your Future Challenge, high school CTE students can tap into their knowledge, drive, and creativity to develop real-world solutions for their communities — and learn how their skills and passions align with rewarding clean energy careers.”
Daphnne Bonaparte
Chief, College and Career Transitions Branch at the U.S. Department of Education’s Division of Academic and Technical Education
Helping students build skills for careers in the clean energy industry
America’s infrastructure is in need of major upgrades and investments to meet the needs of a changing climate and growing population. A robust talent pipeline of skilled tradespeople is crucial for implementing renewable energy projects and achieving America’s clean energy goals.
CTE programs are uniquely positioned to support students in their early exploration of career opportunities. CTE students gain skills in construction, manufacturing, engineering, and other trades that align with clean energy careers. By participating in the Power Your Future Challenge, students will get hands-on experience envisioning and designing clean energy solutions that can make a real-world impact. The challenge will also connect CTE students to the vast career opportunities in clean energy and other vital infrastructure industries.
Register for the September 10 virtual information session
Learn more about the Power Your Future Challenge at the September 10 virtual information session. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Education and the challenge team will present an overview of the challenge and answer questions submitted in advance through the registration form. A video recording and summary of questions and answers will be published following the session.
Get started and submit an action plan by November 19
Teachers and community partners can explore the available resources to learn more about clean energy and how teams can develop action plans to impact their communities. They can also review the submission form. Submissions are due by November 19, 2024. Up to 10 winning teams will receive an equal share of the $50,000 prize pool.
To receive updates about the Power Your Future Challenge, sign up for the CTE Momentum newsletter.