Educators
Why Guide Students to Energy & Natural Resources (ENR)
As an educator, you help shape how students see their future — and the future needs them in Energy & Natural Resources. This fast-growing sector already employs over 8 million people, with demand expected to rise sharply by 2032. These are well-paying, essential jobs found in every community — from clean energy and conservation to skilled trades and sustainable resource management.
Beyond job security and good pay, these careers offer purpose. Today’s students want work that matters — tackling challenges like climate change, water scarcity, and environmental justice. Whether it’s in land stewardship, infrastructure, or environmental restoration, these roles are hands-on, future-focused, and impactful.
As global demand for sustainable solutions rises, new career paths are opening in electric vehicles, energy storage, precision agriculture, reforestation, and more. This sector needs a new wave of passionate, skilled workers. With the right tools, curriculum, and partnerships, you can guide students toward careers that make a real difference.
Your ENR How-To Guide Hub
Energy & Natural Resources (ENR) careers are full of potential, but most students don’t get early exposure. As an educator, you can change that. These guides help you bring ENR into your classroom, clubs, and school—regardless of your subject and applicable to all grade levels.
Each guide includes simple steps, templates, and resources to get you started. Whether you have five minutes or a whole semester, you’ll find practical ways to connect students with the ENR world and the futures they could build in it.
Building local industry connections takes time. Start small, build trust, and grow your connections. Use the guide categories—“Start Here,” “Go Further,” and “Build Big”—to move at your own pace and make a real impact.
Start Here
Go Further
Build Big
How to Add an ENR Lens to Your Lessons
Bring ENR to life in your classroom with curriculum steps and ideas.
Launch a Student Club Focused on ENR
Get students of all ages excited about ENR by starting a club.
Engage with Local Industry for Guest Speakers
Bringing guest speakers into your classroom makes learning tangible. Letter of Request: Guest Speaker.
Find and Plan an ENR Field Trip
Explore local energy sites to give students real-world exposure to energy careers. Letter of Request: Field Trip.
Request Lab Materials or Equipment Donations
Partner with local companies to bring tools and equipment into your classroom. Letter of Request: Lab Resources.
Add an ENR Capstone or Project-Based Learning Course
Launch a semester-long project where students solve real energy problems in teams.
Engage with Post-Secondary Partners
Collaborate with local colleges to introduce students to ENR career pathways.
Upskill with a Teacher Externship
Spend a week learning alongside industry professionals to bring insights back to your students. Letter of Request: Teacher Externship.
Connect with Energy’s Future
EnergyConnector is a free platform built to connect educators with Energy & Natural Resources (ENR) industry partners. Whether you’re looking for guest speakers, field trip hosts, lab materials, equipment donations, or externship opportunities, EnergyConnector makes it easy to post your needs and get matched with local companies who want to support classrooms. It’s designed to save teachers time and increase access to opportunities that bring your teaching to life. To learn more, read our information sheet for education partners.
Learn more about the tool and how to set up your profile below.
The Curriculum Spark your Classroom Needs
CEWD has created four ready-to-use classroom assets to help teachers bring ENR education to life. These tools are built to spark interest in energy careers while aligning with core academic standards. From curriculum guides to turnkey materials, they’re a strong starting point for new teachers and a fresh update for experienced classrooms.
Teacher Resources
Classrooms vary widely in their needs and contexts. The resources linked here are curated to enhance and adapt ENR curriculum development.
Meaningful learning starts with passionate educators who bring new ideas to life. To support these ENR champions, a range of organizations offer grants and fellowships designed to reduce the barriers to innovation in education.
Here are some teacher opportunities:
Curriculum Resources / Lesson Plans
K-8
9-12
Adult Learners
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- Energy Kids
- Florida Power & Light (FPL) Energy Curriculum
- INGAA Foundation Youth Engagement Toolkit 1 – Elementary School
- KEEP – Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program
- National Energy Education Development Project
- Science Buddies
- SciGirls Connect
- STEM labs
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Utah Office of Energy Development
We have many resources available for high school teachers. Please visit EnergyAccelerator to learn more.
- Courses - US DOE's Flex Project
- Electrical Apprenticeship Training Courses
- Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE)
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
- MEA Energy Association - Energy
- National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)
- OSHA-10 Certification
- Southern California Edison Energy Education
- University of California Berkeley Energy Curriculum
If you would like to submit resources to be considered for inclusion on CEWD’s website, please use the button below to apply.
How to Bring the ENR Cluster to your State: Overview
The Energy & Natural Resources (ENR) Career Cluster reflects an important evolution in Career and Technical Education (CTE), expanding the traditional Energy cluster to include Natural Resources. This more comprehensive framework acknowledges the full range of industries and systems essential to building a clean energy economy—from renewables and grid technology to land, water, and resource stewardship.
States play a critical role in bringing the ENR Cluster into classrooms. Each state determines when and how to formally adopt the cluster, which signals the official integration of ENR-aligned curriculum, pathways, and resources into its CTE programs.
Read through to explore information about the cluster adoption process and actionable strategies for advancing adoption in your state.
Needs Assessment
Assess whether your state’s workforce needs and industry demands align with the newly proposed Career Cluster (e.g. CTE pilot programs)
Stakeholder Engagement
Build a network of support and expertise from industry, education, policymakers, and key community leaders
Curriculum Development
Develop curricula that align with industry standards and educational goals
Take advantage of our EIF 2.0 and EnergyAccelerator!Approval Process
Submit proposals to your state’s CTE education authorities, including directors, advisory committees, and other associations
Resource Allocation
Secure funding, equipment, and other resources necessary to support the cluster’s implementation
Professional Development
Identity and/or provide training and professional development opportunities for educators to upskill
Implementation
Launch your new career cluster and curriculum!
Feedback & Monitoring
Build in tools and practices for feedback, which should be monitored and used for continuous improvement
To learn more about your state’s process for cluster adoption, we recommend contacting your Department of Education or CTE State Directors for more information
How to Bring the ENR Cluster to your State: CTE Pilot Programs
CTE pilot programs are a common adoption pathway that allows states to concretely evaluate student interest and impact.
After receiving state approval and the necessary funding, schools can “try out” new CTE courses outside of their state’s current CTE framework. If successful, these tell a strong story for why states should adopt a new Career Cluster.
This is one great example of how to prove the need for a new career cluster. Keep an eye out for this happening in your state!
How do states launch new CTE pilot programs?
- Submit a proposal that outlines objectives, curriculum design, resource requirements, expected outcomes, etc.
- Proposals will go through an approval process, including where your state’s relevant authorities evaluate how the program aligns with educational standards and potential student impact
- Schools establish partnerships with industry leaders and organizations to secure the necessary funding, resources, and expertise
- Educators upskill in the pilot program’s curricula by attending training sessions and workshops – your engagement will be crucial for a successful launch with students!
- Implement your new pilot program in schools and continue to monitor for feedback from students, educators, and industry to adjust and improve
To learn more about your state’s process for CTE pilot programs, we recommend contacting your Department of Education or CTE State Directors for more information.
