WorkWell MN Contributes Workforce Perspective to Minnesota Nuclear Energy Study
As Minnesota considers potential changes to its energy landscape, WorkWell is bringing workforce readiness into the conversation early
WorkWell MN is a member of the Clean Energy Workforce Table, a convening organized by the McKnight Foundation, and was invited to contribute/collaborate with other workforce organizations as Minnesota policymakers examine the potential role of nuclear energy in the state's future energy mix.
At the direction of the Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota Department of Commerce contracted with the Great Plains Institute (GPI) to conduct a study on the potential impacts of new nuclear energy generation, exploring topics including affordability, reliability, environmental protection and public health.
To inform workforce issues, WorkWell submitted a response to the study in September 2026, focused on workforce implications associated with lifting Minnesota's statewide moratorium on building new nuclear generating facilities (not merits or concerns around the technology itself).
In its first contribution to a study of this nature, WorkWell emphasized that workforce partnership development should be treated as an early, foundational phase of project planning rather than a later implementation activity. Here’s an excerpt from the submission:
“The timeline risk here is not just about physical construction schedules, it is also about institutional lead time. Before a single worker can be trained, formal partnerships need to be in place among the relevant building trades unions, local workforce training organizations, K-12 school districts and community/technical colleges with the project employer(s) added once they are identified. Building those partnerships takes time: partners need shared agreement on required skills and candidate readiness, a plan for recruiting and supporting candidates (including funds for transportation, childcare or other barriers that may prevent enrollment/persistence), and a defined curriculum, training location and qualified instructors - all of which depend on trust, sustained coordination, and dedicated funding, not just goodwill. We’d strongly encourage the study to treat Workforce Partnership Formation as its own early, front-loaded phase among the project timelines.”
Participation in a statewide study of this significance represents an opportunity for WorkWell to elevate workforce considerations in policy discussions and reinforce the importance of long-term talent development when evaluating major economic and infrastructure investments. The coalition's contribution emphasizes that the success of any future energy project depends not only on technology and policy, but also on the people, skills, partnerships and lead time needed to build and sustain it.