DOE report shows biofuel, bioenergy employment increased in 2021
Summary
According to the DOE, no bioenergy employers current expect job declines to take place this year. The vast majority of other bioenergy job industries reported challenging hiring conditions as well. The 34,592 workers employed in corn ethanol last year included 15,818 in agriculture, 9,343 in manufacturing, 6,527 in wholesale trade, 2,800 in professional services and 102 classified as “other” Jobs in all categories were up when compared to 2020. Within the corn ethanol sector, wholesale trade, distribution and transport employers had the highest percentage of companies reporting hiring difficulty, with 93 percent of respondents indicating it was “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult to find employees. In woody biomass, wholesale trade employers had the highest percentage of companies reporting hiring difficulty, with 93 percent of respondents indicating it was “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to find employees.