FieldSpan | GridReady Dispatch — Issue #1

Explosive Demand Growth vs. Qualified Labor Shortages

The headlines are clear:

AI data centers, EV adoption, and rapid electrification are fueling explosive demand growth across the grid. Utilities are racing to expand transmission, modernize infrastructure, and integrate renewables.

But beneath the surface lies an invisible choke point: a severe shortage of qualified labor.

What’s Happening:

• Skilled lineworkers and engineers are retiring faster than replacements are trained.

• The “college-first” narrative sidelined vocational paths, leaving utility work undervalued and underpopulated.

• The modern grid needs both grit in the field and digital fluency in the control room, but qualified tradespeople are increasingly scarce.

This labor shortage is not just a workforce issue—

it’s a reliability risk.

• Outage restoration slows.

• Safety is compromised.

• Grid modernization stalls.

• Every headline challenge becomes harder to solve.

At FieldSpan, we believe:

The grid was built by men and women who worked through daily climate extremes—with grit, skill, and no spotlight.

Honoring that legacy means revaluing utility work as essential, not invisible. We must reshape the narrative—and the pipeline.

Tomorrow’s Topic:

Issue #2 — Transmission Bottlenecks vs. Supply Chain Delays