Building a Climate-Ready Energy and Water Workforce in Los Angeles County

Results from Two RAND Workshops

Sara Hughes, Elie Alhajjar, Angela Yun, Fernando Esteves, Jay Balagna, Benjamin Lee Preston

Expert InsightsPublished Apr 10, 2026

RAND workshops with Los Angeles County energy and water sector leaders identified workforce needs for climate change adaptation. Findings highlight rising demand for technical and community-facing roles, large-scale re-skilling, and such barriers as training capacity and funding. Participants emphasized regional collaboration, stackable credentials, and equity-focused strategies to build a climate-ready workforce.

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Hughes, Sara, Elie Alhajjar, Angela Yun, Fernando Esteves, Jay Balagna, and Benjamin Lee Preston, Building a Climate-Ready Energy and Water Workforce in Los Angeles County: Results from Two RAND Workshops. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CFA4821-1.html.
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This work was funded by the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and conducted in the Education and Employment and Infrastructure and Justice Program of RAND Education, Employment, and Infrastructure.

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