Events
Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation hosts a variety of in-person and virtual events to engage Arkansas’s current and potential energy workforce, share resources and gather insights to better understand and grow the energy sector.
If you are looking for networking, policy updates, or advocacy efforts, check out our Association’s event calendar and consider joining as a member.
SkillSync: Q1 Renewable Energy Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
SkillSync: Q1 Energy Efficiency/HVAC Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
Partner Event: Arkansas Environmental & Outdoor Education Conference
AEEA’s Environmental and Outdoor Education Conference is a gathering that brings together classroom teachers, non-formal educators, higher education students, Master Naturalists, and conservation professionals from around Arkansas. This professional learning event consists of hands-on workshops, field tours, concurrent presentations, exhibitors, and networking opportunities.
Traditionally the conference has been held in June. For the 2025 conference, we moved the event to early March. Registration options included one day or both days. Stay tuned for dates and location of the 2026 conference.
In addition to hands-on learning, exhibitors feature available resources and programs, and the silent auction showcases Arkansas-made goods, education resources, and sustainability-focused products. The silent auction funds the AEEA mini-grant program. The conference brings together diverse attendees in some of the most beautiful locations that Arkansas has to offer.
Learn More: https://arkansasee.org/ee-conference/
Partner Event: 2026 National Home Performance Conference & Trade Show
Save the date for Building Performance Association’s 2026 National Home Performance Conference & Trade Show! Join us April 13-16 in Columbus, Ohio as we celebrate 40 years of progress. You’ll be surrounded by thousands of contractors, weatherization professionals, healthy homes experts, trainers, program administrators, energy auditors, and others in residential energy efficiency as you get the latest industry education and networking.
Learn More: https://building-performance.org/events/national/
SkillSync: Q2 Renewable Energy Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
SkillSync: Q2 Energy Efficiency/HVAC Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
SkillSync: Q3 Renewable Energy Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
SkillSync: Q3 Energy Efficiency/HVAC Call
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) hosts quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync as part of its SkillStream project that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers and training institutions a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry.
Partner Event: Green Career Expo
As a collaboration between the Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation and the Arkansas Environmental Education Association - we would like to invite students in grades 8-12 to attend this FREE educational event focusing on Green Careers.
Mark your calendars and make plans for your 8-12th grade students to join us for the 4th Annual Green Careers Expo in El Dorado on October 29, 2025. Students and teachers will have the opportunity to interact with exhibitors from state/federal/local agencies, businesses, corporations, and organizations to learn about careers that exist in the environmental, natural resources, and conservation fields, including but not limited to:
• natural resource management
• forestry and timber industry
• renewable energy
• environmental science
• green building
• wildlife conservation
• energy efficiency
• water and air quality
• sustainable transportation
• clean manufacturing
• and more!
Do you want to be an Exhibitor?
Interested in exhibiting at this year's Green Careers Expo? Click here for more information and a link to register.
Sponsorship Opportunities - click here for more information on how you can support this educational event.
School Sign Ups
Do you want to register your students to attend this year's Green Careers Expo? Click here for more information and a link to register.
emPOWER Arkansas Conference & Expo
EmPOWER Arkansas Conference & Expo will be hosted by Arkansas Advanced Energy at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday, October 20, 2025, and Tuesday, October 21, 2025. This two-day event is where industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators converge to shape what’s next. This will be the first year that the conference will include an industry exposure event for students and job seekers. You do not have to be a member of Arkansas Advanced Energy Association to attend.
To register, sponsor, reserve a booth at the expo or submit a presentation proposal, visit https://www.arkansasadvancedenergy.com/arkansas-advanced-energy-empower-conference-expo.
SkillStream Employer Forum - Fort Smith
The City of Fort Smith, in partnership with the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF), is proud to launch SkillStream—a local, employer-driven initiative to build a skilled workforce for Arkansas’s fast-growing advanced energy industry.
Your participation in the forum will:
Allow us to custom-build training programs based on your hiring and skill needs
Connect you with funding streams and incentives
Provide early access to top candidates
Help improve retention, innovation, and productivity
Align your company with economic development efforts shaping the region’s energy future
This is a signup form to show interest for SkillStream; attendance to the Fort Smith Employer Forum is optional. Regardless of attendance, we will send a survey to collect employer-specific hiring, retention, and training needs. The forum is free and will include boxed lunches. RSVP by 7/14 to reserve a boxed lunch.
For more information about SkillStream, click here.
SkillStream Community Partner Call (Virtual)
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF), is proud to launch SkillStream—a local, employer-driven initiative to build a skilled workforce for Arkansas’s fast-growing energy industry. In partnership with Metroplan and the City of Fort Smith, and funded by EPA, we are implementing SkillStream in the Central Arkansas and Fort Smith metro areas.
As a trusted workforce partner serving Central Arkansas, AAEF invites your organization to join us at the upcoming free SkillStream Community Partners Call to be held on Thursday, August 21st from 10am-11am. This call will provide a summary of results from the Central Arkansas Energy Employer Workforce Needs Assessment and detail how you can be involved in Central Arkansas’ workforce training and hiring pipeline. We will discuss opportunities for public and community organizations to engage further in SkillStream, like providing candidates for training, candidate support services, workforce resources, training program development, etc.
SkillStream Community Partners Call (virtual)
Thursday, August 21, 2025
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
SkillSync: Q3 Call for Renewable Energy
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) is hosting quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
These are sector-based and include calls for HVAC/Controls/Boilers, Energy Efficiency, and Renewable Energy.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding.
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry. If you’d like to be added to one of the sector calls, please contact April.
SkillStream Employer Forum - Central Arkansas
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SkillSync: Q3 Call for Energy Efficiency
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) is hosting quarterly workforce calls called SkillSync that offer Arkansas’ advanced energy employers a platform to share workforce needs and opportunities, align training and career development practices, and collaborate with training providers, government agencies, and other partners to address industry workforce challenges.
This call is for Energy Efficiency and contractors, including electricians, plumbers, and HVAC/Controls/Boiler technicians.
Topics are timely and may include:
Industry Career Exposure
Training Opportunities
Candidate Sourcing
Licensure/Code/IRA
Advocacy
Marketing/Awards
Funding.
All are welcome and we encourage you to share the invites. Your contributions are invaluable in ensuring that our four hours per year of collaboration effectively drive progress in workforce development across the industry. If you’d like to be added to one of the sector calls, please contact April.
Submit an Event
Thank you for your interest in submitting an event to the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation calendar of events. All submissions will go through an approval process to check for the following:
The event is hosted in Arkansas or is virtually accessible.
The event is relevant to workforce development, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy careers, energy employers, energy development, energy job seekers, students in energy, trainings and workshops related to energy, grants/research or the Arkansas energy industry in general.
The event is not a sales pitch and provides value to the energy community.
Priority will be given to Arkansas Advanced Energy Association members and strategic partners.
The approval process may take 1-2 business days. If applicable, some events may also be shared to the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association calendar of events. If you have questions or unsure if your event qualifies, email Stephanie at sslagle@arkansasadvancedenergy.com.