The U.S. energy sector has become highly innovative in developing and applying new technologies. These innovations often require higher-paid, more-highly skilled labor, yet many employers in the region report that they have difficulty filling jobs, particularly for medium-skilled (or semi skilled) positions that require only a high school education and a certification or some additional training. To keep pace with rapid changes in technology and employers' needs, community colleges and post secondary career and technology centers need to effectively and efficiently modify existing curricula and programs and develop new ones. In addition to learning core technical skills, workers need to acquire soft skills, such as professionalism, critical thinking, and problem-solving, to better adapt to their work environments. These issues are particularly salient in West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. The region's abundant coal resources have long shaped its economy. Given this potential demand, a clear challenge facing West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania is how to support the workforce development pipeline that trains workers for these positions. is pipeline involves recruiting, training, and educating the local talent pool (both young recent high school graduates and adults already in the workforce) to fill the job and skill needs of energy-industry employers, for both the short and long terms. To improve the pipeline of trained energy-sector workers in West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania, area leaders should: (1) implement deep, enduring partnerships between employers and educational institutions for developing curricula, providing equipment, conducting alignment assessments, and offering on-the-job experiences for students; (2) provide bridge services to support social services and counseling; (3) provide comprehensive training opportunities and degree-bearing courses, integrating technical training with work readiness and basic skills; (4) improve awareness of energy-sector education, training, and employment opportunities; (5) prioritize recruitment and retention of quality instructors; and (6) address geographic constraints on students.