Archived
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Location
Lexington, Kentucky
Start Date
6-5-2026 3:00 PM
End Date
6-5-2026 3:30 PM
Description
The coal ash industry stands at a pivotal moment, shaped by legacy environmental events, evolving engineering standards, and a rapidly shifting workforce landscape. This session explores the strategic talent challenges facing consultants, civil engineering firms, and utilities in 2026 and beyond. Drawing from data sources including MRI, LaborIQ, AGC, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the presentation highlights: • The impact of historic coal ash incidents (TVA Kingston, Duke Dan River) on industry best practices. • The convergence of civil, environmental, and power sectors in driving remediation and innovation. • Alarming workforce trends, including the retirement of 12,000 professionals daily and declining birth rates, creating a widening talent gap. • Recruiting evolution: from traditional outreach to multi-touch, digital campaigns targeting passive candidates. • Insights from the Dirt Newsletter, roundtable talks, and podcasts featuring industry leaders. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for navigating workforce shortages, enhancing recruitment efforts, and sustaining operational excellence in coal ash management. MRI’s 45+ years of industry engagement position it uniquely to guide companies in placing top talent who are shaping the future of environmental stewardship.
Document Type
Presentation
Archival?
Archival
Included in
Energy Systems Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons, Structural Materials Commons, Sustainability Commons
Strategic Workforce Solutions in the Coal Ash Industry
Lexington, Kentucky
The coal ash industry stands at a pivotal moment, shaped by legacy environmental events, evolving engineering standards, and a rapidly shifting workforce landscape. This session explores the strategic talent challenges facing consultants, civil engineering firms, and utilities in 2026 and beyond. Drawing from data sources including MRI, LaborIQ, AGC, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the presentation highlights: • The impact of historic coal ash incidents (TVA Kingston, Duke Dan River) on industry best practices. • The convergence of civil, environmental, and power sectors in driving remediation and innovation. • Alarming workforce trends, including the retirement of 12,000 professionals daily and declining birth rates, creating a widening talent gap. • Recruiting evolution: from traditional outreach to multi-touch, digital campaigns targeting passive candidates. • Insights from the Dirt Newsletter, roundtable talks, and podcasts featuring industry leaders. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for navigating workforce shortages, enhancing recruitment efforts, and sustaining operational excellence in coal ash management. MRI’s 45+ years of industry engagement position it uniquely to guide companies in placing top talent who are shaping the future of environmental stewardship.
