Throughout the first nine months of the Trump Administration, “energy dominance” has been the agenda. To win the artificial intelligence (AI) race, ensure energy reliability for Americans, and beat China on the world stage, we need more energy – period.
But we can’t do it without America’s young people. Fortunately, it’s a dynamic time to get involved with the energy sector—from robust American leadership in traditional energy sources to developments in advanced nuclear technology to a burgeoning geothermal industry. Adding electrons to the grid has never been more exciting.
Because of all these developments and exploding energy demand, the energy sector continues to grow, and we need promising talent to join its ranks. Innovative companies across the country are hiring young people to craft the future of American energy. Oklo, for instance, is in the process of building next-generation nuclear reactors. Fervo Energy is harnessing the heat under the earth’s crust to produce geothermal power. First Solar is establishing American supply chains and manufacturing for solar panels. Deploying a diverse array of energy sources to fuel Americans’ lives will foster a more secure grid and increased reliability.
Many young Americans, though, don’t know about the work going on in the energy industry. Or, worse, they have a deep misunderstanding of how energy is produced and why we need it. Flipping on a light switch is one thing. Understanding where our precious energy comes from is another thing entirely. In our national discourse, a false dichotomy of “100% renewables” versus “drill, baby, drill” has emerged, deeply dividing politicians and the American people.
Rather than limiting our energy choices, pursuing an all-of-the-above strategy will best serve our energy sector and our nation as a whole. With American leadership in all forms of energy—from traditional sources to renewable technologies—we can lower electricity prices, dominate emerging technologies, and reduce global emissions. Every energy source has trade-offs, but by analyzing each through the trilemma of “affordable, reliable, and clean,” the right balance can be achieved.
This message must be shared with our nation’s young people. Energy literacy, defined by the Department of Energy as “an understanding of the nature and role of energy in the world and daily lives,” is crucial to our energy dominance agenda. We cannot achieve affordable, reliable, and abundant energy without a robust and dedicated workforce and talent pipeline. The more young people are energized about the future of American energy production, the better for our future.
Importantly, universities and trade schools across the country will be instrumental in fostering the next generation of American energy workers. Educators should focus on teaching students about real-world implications and the potential of American-made energy to drive solutions to environmental challenges.
For instance, America’s young people should know that our nation led the world in emissions reductions, largely thanks to the shale boom and natural gas production. Young Americans should be proud that in Chicago, engineers built the world’s very first nuclear reactor. Recent leadership in geothermal energy capacity should excite young Americans.
Our nation needs more energy workers—everything from technically skilled electricians to nuclear engineers with college degrees. Even more so, we need an optimistic energy workforce that sees American energy as an opportunity to win, not a problem to be solved. The next great energy innovation could already be an idea in a young American’s mind. It’s time to unleash it.
—Ann Bluntzer Pullin, PhD is the executive director at the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University. She has a robust background in energy policy and higher education. Chris Barnard, MSc is the president of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), the largest conservative environmental organization in the country. Together, their organizations are hosting the Energy Freedom Tour, a 10-campus educational tour about the importance of American energy production, which kicks off at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on September 29, 2025.
