How often do you take for granted things like a working sink, turning on a light to read at night, or the roof that’s likely over your head at this moment? Energy, construction and utilities create the physical places people live, work and enjoy—from the four walls of a building to the wiring and power that make it possible to offer free wifi. People in this industry work as civil engineers, electrical technicians, solar photovoltaic installers and construction craftspeople.

Why It’s Important to San Diego

San Diego is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. Given our ever-growing need for affordable housing and transportation infrastructure, the energy, construction & utilities sector is vital to our future. San Diego is also a leader in combatting climate change through initiatives to get more of our energy from renewable resources, build greener buildings, and conserve water, electricity and gas.

Subsectors

• Power generation & distribution
• Construction of buildings
• Heavy & civil engineering construction (e.g.  bridges, roads, pipelines)
• Waste management & remediation
• Environmental consulting

Sector Job Growth

What Are the Largest Occupations in This Sector? 

How Do I Start My Career in Energy, Construction & Utilities?

Do Some Research

• Use Career Coach to explore which occupations align with your interests, get a behind-the-scenes peek at careers and discover local companies
• Plan for a career in clean energy by exploring the California Energy Comission’s website
• Learn about different construction career paths

Expand Your Network

• Use social media tools like LinkedIn to network with professionals and request informational interviews to ask people about their career path, education and job responsibilities. Check out this video for help getting started.
• Attend an event hosted by an industry-related organization like the Building Industry Association of San Diego or Clean tech San Diego

Get Hands-on Experience

• Volunteer with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to try the construction field
• Volunteer to install solar panels for low-income families with GRID Alternatives San Diego

Get Training

• Check out our On-demand Training Library to build essential and technical skills related to occupations in the field
• There are more paid apprenticeship programs in the building trades than any other type of occupation. Search the website for the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards for a list of opportunities in San Diego
• Sign up for free training through Construction Career Jumpstart, powered by SDG&E
• Join Apprenticeship Readiness Program, a 12 week training that will prepare you for an apprenticeship. This training is available through a partnership with San Diego Community College District. 
• Explore certification programs through the Clean Tech Institute
• Explore opportunities at a community college near you at CareerEd.org
• Explore free or low-cost classes and certificate programs at your local adult education provider

Posters and Printers.

Visit workforce.org/posters for more posters and print outs.

 

Data source: Emsi Labor Market Analytics, 2020 – economicmodeling.com