# The Carbon Copy: The great electrician shortage

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2023-03-09
- Length: 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage

## Summary

Reporter Emily Pontecorvo, writing for Grist, investigates the critical shortage of electricians needed to support the US electrification of homes and transport. She highlights the cascading bottleneck where homeowners like Champori Reth face long wait times, contractors like Bonnie Reyes of Boyce Electric are booked solid, and training institutions like Laney College struggle to find faculty. The episode explores solutions including increased funding for community colleges, union apprenticeships, and marketing campaigns to rebrand trade work as a viable, high-paying career path for younger generations.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=0) Introduction: The Carbon Copy Crossover and Live Event Promo
- [3:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=181) Homeowner Bottlenecks: Champori Reth and Panel Upgrades
- [9:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=551) Contractor Capacity: Bonnie Reyes and Boyce Electric's Growth Constraints
- [13:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=811) Workforce Pipeline: Panama Bartholemy and the Aging Workforce
- [16:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=993) Training Crisis: Laney College, David Pitt, and Faculty Shortages
- [24:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=1449) Solutions: Union Apprenticeships, Funding, and Contractor Incentives
- [28:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage#t=1699) Cultural Shift: Marketing Trades and Removing Stigma

## Topics

- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Grist (company)
- Canary Media (company)
- Post Script Media (company)
- Greentown Labs (other)
- Airtable (company)
- Rewiring America (company)
- Inflation Reduction Act (other)
- EnergyHub (company)
- Boyce Electric Incorporator (company)
- Q Merritt (company)
- Building Decarbonization Coalition (company)
- Laney College (other)
- Tech Clean California (other)
- Interstate Renewable Energy Council (company)
- Prelude Ventures (company)

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- [146: The Workforce Slugfest: A Live Panel on Training Programs, Immigration Policy, and Attracting the Next Generation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-07-25-146-the-workforce-slugfest-a-live-panel-on-training-programs-immigration-policy) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
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## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-03-09-the-carbon-copy-the-great-electrician-shortage. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.