4-Part Webinar Series

“A Clean Energy Workforce that Represents Everyone”

Co-hosts of webinar series:

  1. Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory
  2. Colorado Solar & Storage Association (COSSA)
  3. Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES)
  4. Holy Cross Energy

Webinar logistical host and contact: Maury Dobbie, Executive Director, Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory [email protected] 970-682-5707 (cell/text)

Webinar series description: This four-part webinar series will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion to help employers retain and hire the future generation of clean energy employees. The four webinars are free for live viewing or watching re-posted videos. You will hear from experts working on how to create the pipeline of workers for the future, why a diverse workforce will increase your bottom line, how to give others an opportunity to succeed, and opportunities to engage with organizations both non-profit and for-profit who are sharing best practices.

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Workforce Part 1: “Creating a diverse and inclusive clean energy workforce”

This 60-minute webinar included experts promoting educational pathways in STEM and trade disciplines in the younger generation, high school and higher education answering how we can create a more diverse pipeline of future workers. Shared was the importance of inspiring kids from third grade and beyond so we can fill the pipeline of future STEM enthusiasts. The speakers discussed how to build diversity within industry and career pathways. They talked about how to create internships, mentorships, job training, and promoting women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the career ladder. We hope attendees will understand that a strong workforce includes purposeful inclusion of underserved populations because this enhances a business’s ability to pay it forward, enhance their bottom line, and offers opportunity to those that may not have had the chance.

If you haven’t registered yet, please click here.

Click here to watch the re-posted video

Moderator: Rickey Frierson, Director of Diversity, College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University [email protected]

Speakers:

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Rickey Frierson
Director of Diversity
College of Natural Resources
Colorado State University

Dr. Rickey Frierson has spent the last 15 years presenting internationally and domestically on issues of social justice, diversity and inclusion, and underrepresented student success within higher education. Dr. Frierson’s research interest focuses on institutional accountability and effectiveness in minority success and completion at predominantly white, public institutions. Rickey takes pride in assisting administrators, educators and institutions in examining proactive strategies to create efficient and fruitful educational experiences for their diverse students, staff, and faculty. Rickey has published articles, submitted book reviews, and has written book contributions that all stem around efficiencies of education.

Kristen Wilkinson
Program Director
Environmental Learning Center
Colorado State University

Kristen Wilkinson has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and will soon be finishing a Master’s degree in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. She has worked for the last decade in environmental education as an educator, administrator and program director. Kristen mentors college students interested in becoming environmental educators and manages the Environmental Learning Center’s programs for families and K-12 students. Girls Advancing Scientific Progress (GASP!) is one such program, focused on helping elementary school girls see themselves as scientists.

Hollis Salway
Director of Development & Research
CareerWise Colorado

Hollis Salway is thrilled to join the team at CareerWise Colorado as the Director of Development. She believes strongly in the power of bringing together private sector, nonprofit and public leaders to drive positive change in our communities. Prior to joining CareerWise, Hollis was the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver where she led the organization in moving toward a more outcomes-focused conversation with its funders and individual donors and where she helped the Clubs’ corporate supporters make tailored investments in Denver’s youth. While living in Boston, Hollis also helped to launch and expand a nonprofit focused on growing the talent pipeline for the nonprofit sector, New Sector Alliance. At New Sector, Hollis worked as part of the management team to build partnerships with leading consulting firms like Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, Bain, and the Bridgespan Group to train emerging leaders and provide nonprofits across Boston with strategic solutions to pressing capacity-building issues. She has also lived and worked in New York, NY and Steamboat Springs, CO. Hollis earned her BA from Harvard University. She enjoys reading short stories, vintage furniture shopping, hiking, skiing, camping, brewery bike-touring with her hubby, trying new recipes and re-experiencing the joys of childhood with her daughter, Sadie, and son, Harrison.