Dion Emami Says Workforce Development Is the Utility Industry’s Biggest Challenge

ORANGE COUNTY, CA, May 30, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — Dianoush “Dion” Emami, Chief Executive Officer of Parkia, Inc., believes the utility industry is facing a challenge that cannot be solved by technology alone: the loss of experienced talent and the growing need to develop future leaders.

With more than 40 years of experience in power generation, transmission, and electrical infrastructure, Emami says workforce development has become one of the most important issues facing the industry today.

“The utility sector depends on knowledge that takes decades to build,” Emami said. “You cannot replace field judgment, technical discipline, and leadership experience overnight.”

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nearly one-third of the utility workforce is approaching retirement age, while demand for infrastructure modernization continues to increase nationwide. At the same time, utilities are facing growing pressure related to grid resiliency, underground transmission expansion, renewable integration, and aging infrastructure systems.

Industry studies also project that hundreds of thousands of skilled infrastructure and energy workers will be needed over the next decade to meet growing demand.

For Emami, the challenge is not simply hiring workers. It is developing professionals who can lead safely and consistently in high-risk environments.

“Investing in people before projects is what allows organizations to scale responsibly,” Emami said. “When you build strong people, they build strong projects.”

Emami began his career at Bechtel Power Corporation, working on major nuclear facilities including the Arizona Nuclear Power Plant and the San Onofre Generating Station before moving into leadership roles at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Henkels & McCoy. Since becoming CEO of Parkia, Inc. in 2014, he has overseen major high-voltage underground transmission projects for utilities including LADWP, Southern California Edison, PG&E, SDG&E, and APS.

Throughout his career, he has emphasized mentorship and operational discipline as essential parts of leadership.

“Strong infrastructure companies are not built on equipment alone,” Emami said. “They are built on experienced people who understand accountability, safety, and execution under pressure.”

The utility and construction industries continue to face challenges attracting younger professionals into engineering, skilled trades, and infrastructure careers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for electrical engineers and infrastructure-related occupations is expected to remain strong as utilities modernize transmission systems and expand grid capacity.

Emami believes experienced leaders have a responsibility to transfer knowledge before it is lost.

“Leadership is not only about completing projects,” he said. “It is about developing people who can eventually lead those projects better than you did.”

He also stressed the importance of exposing younger generations to infrastructure careers earlier through STEM education, mentorship programs, internships, and field experience.

“There are tremendous opportunities in engineering, utility infrastructure, and skilled trades,” Emami said. “These careers build the systems communities rely on every day.”

As infrastructure investment continues across the United States, Emami believes workforce development will determine which organizations succeed in the long term.

“You can have demand, funding, and technology,” he said. “But without disciplined people who know how to execute safely and responsibly, none of it works.”

He encourages companies throughout the industry to focus less on short-term hiring and more on long-term leadership development.

“Success means building things that last,” Emami said. “That includes people, not just infrastructure.”

Dianoush “Dion” Emami is the Chief Executive Officer of Parkia, Inc., an engineering and construction company specializing in high-voltage transmission and underground electrical infrastructure. With more than 40 years of experience in the utility energy sector, he has a career spanning nuclear power engineering, public utilities, and large-scale transmission projects across the western United States. He has held leadership roles at Bechtel Power Corporation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Henkels & McCoy, Inc. Emami is recognized for his focus on safety, disciplined execution, mentorship, and long-term infrastructure development.

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