Pete Buttigieg, the current Transportation Secretary and former Mayor of South Bend, recently concluded a two-day tour of Wisconsin and Michigan, before returning to his home state of Indiana. The purpose of his Midwest tour was to draw attention to the increasing number of jobs in the clean energy sector, particularly the upcoming electric vehicle battery plants in Kokomo.
Buttigieg described this as the appearance of America’s manufacturing center.
According to Secretary Buttigieg, these jobs are often referred to as green collar, but he prefers to think of them as traditional blue-collar roles.
According to John Hollingsworth, he was able to secure a job at the Stellantis Plant Project with Houston Electric well in advance of the facility’s official opening. Specifically, he found employment at one of the two Kokomo battery plants that are set to bring 1,400 jobs to central Indiana.
Hollingsworth expressed that this project is of immense scale and significance, and it’s happening in close proximity to his residence.
According to him, this has been an incredible chance for contractors in the area, including himself, and has resulted in his union’s membership more than doubling.
According to Hollingsworth, getting a chance to work on a large project like this often requires traveling a considerable distance. However, the income potential with all the overtime is simply incredible. He describes it as a “unicorn” opportunity, one that is rare and highly sought after.
According to Buttigieg, one of the notable achievements of the Biden-Harris Administration is the establishment of 400 clean energy manufacturing facilities that have generated numerous job opportunities across the country.
Following his tour of the facility, he addressed the audience at Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Campus. The campus has been instrumental in providing training and education to develop skilled workers required for the plant.
Buttigieg expressed his excitement about the current state of Howard County and the potential for future innovation. According to him, the automotive industry is still in the early stages of transitioning to electric vehicles, which will dominate the sector for the remainder of the century.
When asked about the possibility of being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Secretary Buttigieg declined to comment. He also did not address any inquiries about his future in politics.
