Around the Local

technical.ly: IBEW Local 24 Business Manager Mike McHale explains how data center construction is fueling demand for electricians, with his local growing by over 700 members in four years, and describes the four year apprenticeship process and the physical realities of construction work.
nbcchicago.com: An IBEW apprenticeship expo in Chicago highlights opportunities for women entering the electrical trade, showcasing a program designed to recruit and support female electricians in a field where women remain significantly underrepresented.
riverreporter.com: Gov. Josh Shapiro is offering data center developers expedited permitting in exchange for meeting stricter environmental and transparency standards under his GRID program. Critics say the voluntary incentives lack enforcement teeth and that meaningful protections will require cooperation from both chambers of the legislature.
thephiladelphiacitizen.org: William C. Sproule, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, argues that Pennsylvania energy policy must prioritize good union jobs alongside clean energy goals. Sproule contends that smart policy choices can make the state a hub for manufacturing growth and technology investment in the years ahead.
dailyitem.com: The Pennsylvania House Energy Committee held a hearing on the bipartisan Geothermal Energy Development Act, which would create a regulatory framework for deep geothermal drilling statewide. Sponsors say advances in drilling technology make Pennsylvania well positioned to tap geothermal resources for electricity and heating, with strong potential for workers transitioning from the oil and gas sector.