Pathway to Trades Series

Building on the strong foundation established at the inaugural Pathway to Trades Summit in early 2026, ORAU hosted Next Steps for the Nuclear Workforce in October to bring together regional and national partners committed to growing the skilled trades and nuclear workforce Tennessee needs.

The event, which welcomed James Danly, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy and Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, featured candid, interactive roundtable discussions designed to help participants:

• Celebrate early progress and shared wins
• Assess ongoing initiatives and emerging opportunities
• Identify and close critical workforce gaps
• Strengthen the partnerships and strategies needed to sustain momentum through 2027 and beyond 

View the results page to learn more about both events

Who should attend?

To sustain momentum in skilled trades readiness and support nuclear sector expansion, this event convenes leaders across the ecosystem:

• Industry & Employer Leaders: Prime contractors, nuclear facility operators, engineering leads, and regional business executives scaling operations and requiring job-ready technical talent.
• Skilled Trade Unions & Labor Organizations: Business managers, apprenticeship directors, and labor representatives aligning training pipelines with regional project demands.
• K–12 & Post-Secondary Educators: Community college leaders, CTE directors, vocational instructors, and high school career counselors expanding pre-apprenticeships and technical pathways.
• Federal, State & Local Officials: DOE representatives, government leaders, economic development agencies, and workforce board directors committed to policy alignment and resource investment.
• Community & Support Partners: Leaders in housing, child care, transportation, and wraparound services working to eliminate systemic barriers for new trades professionals.

Why you should attend:

• Direct Federal Insight: Gain firsthand perspective from Deputy Secretary Danly on federal priorities, energy security investments, and national workforce strategies essential to sustaining the skilled trades pipeline.
• Action-Oriented Progress Tracking: Review tangible milestones achieved since the spring summit and evaluate the status of ongoing regional initiatives.
• Interactive Roundtable Analysis: Engage in targeted discussions to identify persisting supply-chain and training gaps, refine wraparound services, and resolve friction points ahead of spring 2027.
• Cross-Sector Alignment: Reconnect with labor, industry, educators, and government stakeholders to keep public and private resources strategically aligned.
• Shape the 2027 Agenda: Contribute to defining key priorities, case studies, and measurable outcomes for the Pathway to Trades 2027 Summit.