On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association and Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation hosted the 2025 emPOWER Arkansas Conference & Expo at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Conference Highlights

The “SkillStream: Leveraging Policy, Programs, Partnerships, and Funding for Workforce Growth” session, sponsored by Associated Builders and Contractors - Arkansas Chapter, highlighted state and federal workforce policy updates and how these integrate with funding initiatives, finance mechanisms, and existing workforce programs to collaboratively develop an energy workforce pipeline. Speakers Jeran Culina, Senior Manager at Business Leaders United; Cody Waits, Executive Director of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Connections, and April Ambrose, Director of Workforce Development for AAEF, discussed how program “stacking” and cross-sector partnerships can fill gaps and amplify results for employers and workers alike.
In lieu of its quarterly SkillSync calls, AAEF hosted “Employer and Training Collaborations for Better Workforce Outcomes” to bring employers and training providers together in person. After hearing from Tina Moore, the Director of Workforce Development for the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, participants engaged directly with training institutions and others to explore how workforce training programs can better align with employer needs. Participants included University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the North Little Rock Public Library System, Shorter College, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas, and Arkansas Northeastern College.
In the afternoon, AAEF’s April Ambrose moderated “Work-Based Learning: Employer Successes and Resources” to spotlight how Arkansas employers in the energy sector are creating pathways to recruit, train, and retain top talent. Panelists included Maria Lewis, Director of Community Impact and Allied Partnerships for Building Performance Association; Lonnie Emard, National Apprenticeship Director for Apprenticely; Stephanie Isaacs, Director of the Arkansas Office of Skills Development; JD Poole, VP of Special Projects and Marketing for Seal Solar, and Shannon McMulkin, Owner of SunCrop Solar and Energy Solutions.
AAEF’s Revolving Loan Fund Board Chair Adam Fogleman, Pulaski County Attorney, moderated “Capital Pathways: Incentives and C-PACE Opportunities” which explored financial tools and strategies driving energy upgrades across the state. The session was sponsored by Southern Bancorp and included insights from Wesley Prewett, Sustainability Program Manager for Southern Bancorp and AAEF Board Member; and Manuel Wiese, Senior Policy Manager for the Arkansas Department of Energy.

More about the conference

Photos Credit: Reynardo Marks

Expo Highlights

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More than 300 students (7th-12th, technical, trade, and higher education), teachers, job seekers, and community partners had the opportunity to interact with exhibitors from state/federal/local agencies, businesses, corporations, training institutions, and organizations to learn about careers that exist in the advanced energy industry, including sectors such as:

Renewable energy
Energy efficiency
Manufacturing
Transmission and Distribution
Green Building

The expo was designed to engage and inspire students and job seekers to pursue careers in the energy sector. The event featured:

14 Interactive Booths featured advanced energy employers and organizations showcasing careers in energy efficiency, solar, wind, EVs, manufacturing, smart grid, and more.

Career Coaching & Live Interviews coordinated by Apprenticely supported jobseekers and students with resume, interview, and career planning support, while also providing the opportunity to talk directly with industry hiring managers.
Live Speaker Sessions, coordinated by Metroplan, featured industry leaders and workforce development experts as they highlight career pathways and workforce trends.

Snacks & Networking created an inviting atmosphere to foster conversations between students, jobseekers, training entities, and industry representatives.
Fun and Educational Activities, such as minidemos, tech showcases brought career exploration to life.

Exhibitors included: A-1 LED Commercial Lighting, Apprenticely, Associated Builders and Contractors - Arkansas Chapter, Advanced Technologies Consultants, B&A Property Maintenance, Curtis Stout, HDR, ICF, Invenergy, Museum of Discovery, Arkansas Northeastern College, Houston Advanced Research Center, Seal Solar and Transfer VR.