Workforce & Education
Building talent for America’s battery future.
How We Advance Talent Readiness
The Engine supports employer-aligned pathways from K–12 through adult career transition. Working with industry, universities, workforce organizations, and community partners, we create coordinated routes into energy storage careers that strengthen domestic supply chains and national resilience.
Featured Impact
Partnerships among BAE Systems, Binghamton University, SUNY Broome, and regional workforce organizations have prepared more than 300+ learners for careers in battery technology, AI-enabled manufacturing, and power engineering.
The Energy Storage Engine Scholars Initiative
The Energy Storage Engine Scholars Initiative brings together four of Upstate New York’s research universities, Binghamton University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and the University at Buffalo, to prepare the scientists and engineers who will design, build, and scale next-generation battery technology.
Students take on industry-sponsored challenges, work alongside faculty on applied research, and complete internships inside working energy storage companies. Battery-focused coursework gives that applied work its technical foundation.
The pipeline starts well before college. K-12 outreach embeds energy storage as a career path in students’ thinking before they’ve had the chance to rule it out, and community college partnerships create an affordable, accessible entry point for students who might not otherwise see this field as within reach.
Upstate New York has the research strength, the industry base, and the institutional partnerships to lead the energy storage transition. The Scholars Initiative is how the region builds the workforce to make that happen.
Program Categories
K-12 Education
Hands-on programs introduce students to battery science, renewable energy, and autonomous systems through school partnerships and out-of-school initiatives such as:
Energy Storage for Autonomous Systems (OrangeWorks)
High school training in energy storage and autonomous systems led by Syracuse University and RIT.
Solar Array Training Complex
Hands-on renewable energy training delivered by Broome-Tioga BOCES.
Power & Energy Management Seminar Series
Scalable energy storage education program developed by BAE Systems, SUNY Broome, and supported by Binghamton University.
Introduction to Battery Science (Out-of-School Program)
A hands-on, 8-week learning experience for student cohorts that builds curiosity and confidence in energy storage. Led by the YWCA of Rochester.
Energy storage curriculum and train-the-trainer
SUNY Broome-led program developing high school energy storage curriculum plus teacher training.
Community College Pathways
Industry-aligned curriculum and faculty training programs prepare students for battery and advanced manufacturing roles through partnerships including:
Energy storage technology programs
RIT developed and delivered an energy storage training program for community college students, complementing existing engineering technology degree curriucla.
University Programs
New and expanded undergraduate and graduate offerings support advanced training in:
Energy storage engineering
Established a new academic pathway for Binghamton University engineering students, while also creating transfer pathways for community college students—particularly from SUNY Broome—through the development of three undergraduate courses at Binghamton University, informed by collaboration with BAE Systems and SUNY Broome.
Machine learning for battery analysis
Alfred University’s program teaches AI and ML methods for battery degradation analysis and life prediction for students across engineering disciplines.
Internship & Research Program
The Engine’s internship and research programs connect students with hands-on, real-world experience across the energy storage ecosystem. Participants work alongside industry, academic, and lab partners on applied projects—from battery materials and manufacturing—while building the technical and professional skills needed for high-demand careers. These experiences are designed to accelerate workforce readiness, expand access to opportunities, and align talent with the evolving needs of the energy storage sector.
Adult and Career Transition
Programs support career changers and underrepresented communities through:
American Sign Language (ASL)–accessible credential programs (RIT National Technical Institute for the Deaf)
Battery credential programs and curated internships designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners.
Pre-apprentice pathways (MACNY)
Training pipeline supporting skilled battery manufacturing roles across Central and Western New York.
Manufacturing tours program
Energy storage manufacturing facility tours for parents, educators, and counselors across three counties, organized by the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology (AMT).
GreenWorks 80-hour job transition program
Prepares individuals in Buffalo for careers in battery manufacturing, with built-in job placement support.
Why this Matters
The rapid growth of advanced battery manufacturing and energy storage technologies is increasing demand for skilled workers across engineering, advanced manufacturing, AI, and power systems. To sustain U.S. competitiveness and supply chain resilience, workforce development must move at the pace of innovation.
The Engine aligns education and training pathways with industry demand—ensuring companies can hire qualified talent and more people can access high-quality careers in the growing battery economy.
Explore the Other Initiatives
Fund use-inspired R&D and support the translation of promising technologies from validation to scalable deployment.
Provide access to shared testbeds, pilot lines, and safety infrastructure that help bring new battery technologies to market faster and more reliably.
