Veterans are ready to power America’s energy future, if we give them the chance

Debra Phillips is president and CEO of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. Daryoush Larizadeh is president and CEO of Leviton Manufacturing Co. 

Each year, Veterans Day reminds us of the courage and dedication of the men and women who serve our country. In the days that follow, it’s worth reflecting on an important question: What happens to our nation’s heroes once their military service ends?  

When service members take off the uniform, their mission isn’t over. It changes. The same discipline, technical skill, and sense of purpose that drive military operations are precisely what America needs to power its energy future.  

That’s why we support H.R. 4105, the Veterans Energy Transition (VET) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., both veterans themselves. The legislation connects two national priorities that unite us all: helping veterans and military families successfully move into civilian life, and strengthening the skilled workforce needed to build America’s next generation of energy and manufacturing.  

Across America, energy demand is surging, with electricity demand alone anticipated to increase as much as 50% by 2050. Artificial intelligence data centers and grid-modernization projects are changing how we live and work. Yet the number of skilled electrical workers entering the field still lags behind retirements. For example, about 7,000 new electricians join the industry each year, while 10,000 retire — leaving a growing gap. In the transformer sector alone, the employee shortfall has reached 13,400 workers. 

As leaders in this field, we know that gap doesn’t just slow projects, it threatens American competitiveness and energy security. To stay ahead, the electrical industry must attract workers and close the talent gap. 

At the same time, more than 200,000 service members shift out of the armed forces each year, many with the exact technical expertise and leadership experience our industry thrives on. The VET Act bridges these realities. It expands partnerships between the Department of Defense and employers in the energy, utility and advanced manufacturing sectors. It also creates new grants through the Department of Labor for training and certification while removing barriers for small businesses and nonprofits to participate.  

The concept is simple but powerful: match the nation’s best trained, most mission-driven talent with the industries that keep America running — and power the future workforce leading smart manufacturing and industrial automation.  

That same vision is already taking shape across our sector.   

This year, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association partnered with the Veteran Internships Providing Employment Readiness program, a veteran-founded nonprofit dedicated to helping service members and military spouses find meaningful civilian careers.   

In partnership with allied trade associations, NEMA launched a pilot program with VIPER this summer to place veterans directly into civilian roles across the electrical industry. Our goal: 50 hires in six months. Each placement represents a new career, a stronger family, and a step toward closing America’s workforce gap.  

VIPER was built by veterans for veterans. Its mission is not just to find jobs but to fight the root causes of veteran suicide -- unemployment, underemployment and isolation — by providing purpose, stability and community. That mission aligns with what our industry stands for. Every transformer, receptacle, circuit and control system, and lighting source the industry produces is part of something bigger: powering our hospitals and schools, our communities, our nation.  

To understand how programs like these look in practice, consider Leviton, an American manufacturer of electrical, lighting, controls, and network infrastructure solutions with nearly 120 years of commitment to daily excellence and industry advancement — including through proactive development of the electroindustry.

As one of the first NEMA members participating in the VIPER pilot program, Leviton actively collaborates with organizations like NEMA, the National Electrical Contractors Association, the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association, and the National Association of Electrical Distributors that value leadership, practical experience, and the meticulous approach that veterans bring to critical industries. This involves providing essential materials for learning labs, training, and education at apprenticeship and trade schools, alongside active participation in industry standards development.

The VET Act would make it even easier for employers to open more doors for veterans ready to continue serving, this time by powering America’s future.  This is what effective, bipartisan policy looks like.

The VET Act builds on proven programs within the departments of Defense and Labor that help service members of all ranks prepare for civilian careers, linking them with employers ready to train and hire. It combines government action with private-sector leadership to produce measurable results. That’s exactly the kind of partnership America needs more of.  

It also reflects the best of our national character. Veterans have already proven their commitment to our country. They deserve opportunities that make full use of their talents. And America’s energy and manufacturing industries need access to the capable, values-driven workforce that veterans provide.  

In the days after Veterans Day, when the parades are over and the flags are folded, the best way to honor those who served is by expanding their opportunities to lead in civilian life. The VET Act — and the collaborative work already underway across the electroindustry — do exactly that.  

It’s a perfect opportunity for Congress to turn gratitude into action and service into strength.