(1) To the extent practicable, a provider that serves more than 50,000 customers shall invest in hiring and developing a diverse energy waste reduction workforce and contractors capable of delivering energy waste reduction measures such as building envelopes, heat pumps, health and safety measures, and other advanced efficiency and related measures.

(2) Workforce and contractor development efforts shall focus on hiring and developing, for work in energy waste reduction and related careers, workers in or from low-income and environmental justice communities and workers formerly employed in transition-impacted industries such as fossil fuel energy workers who have employment tied to generation, transportation, and refinement, internal combustion engine vehicle workers, workers in the supply chain for internal combustion engines vehicles, and workers in the building and trades as well as any other affected workers. The development efforts shall follow generally recognized best practices, including apprenticeship programs registered and certified with the United States Secretary of Labor under the national apprenticeship act, 29 USC 50 to 50c.