Offshore Wind Is A Burgeoning Industry For Hampton Roads and our Veteran Community
This Veterans Day, we honor and celebrate the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform and recognize the impact these service members continue to have on their communities after their military service.
Hampton Roads’ deep military roots make the veteran community an essential partner in advancing the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project (CVOW). With nearly 500 direct and indirect jobs being sourced locally for the project, Dominion Energy and the North America’s Building Trades Unions launched a partnership to hire, train, and employ veterans for the project, putting them at the forefront of offshore wind innovation.
Veterans bring a diverse and valuable set of skills to the civilian workforce that can directly benefit employers. Their experience, technical expertise, and love of country uniquely equip them to work on a project that Congresswoman Kiggans says, “is about more than clean energy – it’s about strengthening the foundation of national defense.”
In an interview earlier this year with Virginians for Offshore Wind, the Congresswoman also praised the project for the economic growth it is bringing to Hampton Roads and the veteran community that lives here:
“This is exactly the kind of industry that can benefit both our economy and our veterans… We need to make sure that our workforce, especially veterans and students in Hampton Roads, has the certifications, training, and pathways they need to succeed in this growing field. These are good-paying jobs that strengthen both our economy and national energy security—and I want Virginia’s Second District at the front of the line.”
Especially today, Virginians for Offshore Wind is grateful for the role our retired servicemembers play in the continued success of our Hampton Roads community.
Through their continued service, they are positioning the Commonwealth as a leader in offshore wind construction and generation and helping to secure energy independence for Virginia families and our critical military bases and shipyards.