Green Jobs 101

The Role of Youth in Shaping a Sustainable Economy

Christina NicholsUS Department of LaborEmployment and Training AdministrationDivision of Youth Services

Why the Push to Green?

Climate Change Economic Recession

Two Different Challenges

US Goals Today:

• Create 3 million new jobs within 2 years• Re-align global economies • Solve Climate Change - Transform energy

use from fossil to renewables• End two wars; reform health care; erase

debt; inspire public commitment

• Prepare youth to solve these problems, innovate, and change cultural expectations

What’s up? Heat. Carbon.The Earth is getting hotter.

2005 was the hottest year on record; the 14 hottest years occurred since 1990. 24

out of 25 hottest years since 1980.

Source: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/

What’s Up? Unemployment.

Oct. ’09 10.2%

Actual under/unemployment rate – 17.5%

Same Solution Green Jobs

• Broad Societal Shift to Conservation, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy Use

• Economic Transformation From Industrial/Consumptive to Sustainable/Stewardship

Behavior change is the most important component of a green economy

Behavior Change Needs Help

Showing people is more effective than telling them how to go green.

Take the Green Quiz!

Recyclable plastic

A

Corn, compostable

B

Stainless steel

C

Recycled polypropylene

D

Q: Which cup is “green”?

A: YES!

Sources of GHG emissions

From IPCC, WG3, 2007

Credit: John P. Holdren, “The UN SEG Recommendations on Mitigation”

Key Federal Trends

Broad “Green Jobs” Industries• Energy Efficiency

o Weatherization, Smart Grid and Conservation

• Renewable Energyo Wind, Solar, Hydro, Geo-Thermal

and Bio-Mass

• Brownfields Recovery & Remediation• Water -- Treatment, Conservation and

Efficiency Activities• Garbage/Solid Waste

o Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle

o Waste-to-Energy

• Land Restoration; Habitat and Park Protection

Summer Youth - Green Leadership

• Green Construction practiceso Intro to Weatherizationo Rehab and New Construction – internships,

surveys, pre-audits• Clean energy training and prep• Partnerships – city, community, utility, educational institutions• Integration – education, career, leadership• Bigger environmental picture: Water, biomass, Grid, health

Green Jobs ProjectionsIndustry Currently

employedStimulus workforce jobs (NEW)

Projected to 2016 (Permanent)

Notes

Wind 85,000 30,000 110,000 - direct380,000 – dir. + indirect

Based on climate goals of 20% wind by 2030

Solar 39,000 (’07)67,000 (’08 est.)

35,000 246,000 PV and thermal; most recovery post 2010

Energy Efficiency 8,586,000 (2007)

~ 1,300,000 13,787,000 – moderate case

Assumes 7% growth per year; 7 M new jobs

Weatherization 480,000 ~ 180,000 (installation)

150,000 (ongoing)

Installation only; no mfr or indirect

Smart Grid NA 280,000 – direct

140,000 (perm)

Funded thru DOE

Est. Green Jobs

9,218,000 1,825,000 14,703,000 No MFRing jobs in this #

Green job investments*Each $1 Million in this sector…

… Creates this many jobs

Transit/rail 22Building retrofits 17Biomass 17Solar 14Smart Grid 13Wind 13Coal 7Oil and gas 5

*Source: Robert Pollin, et al, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Center for American Progress

Green Jobs and CredentialsType of job Highest

Education level attained

Average wage/hour

Clean energy(jobs for $1

million invested)

Fossil Fuels(jobs for $1

million invested)

High-credentialed jobs(architect, manager)

Bachelors degree or more

$24.50 3.9 1.5

Mid-credentialed jobs(Crew chief, tech)

Some college $14.50 4.8 1.6

Low-credentialed jobs(laborer, clerk)

High school or less

$12 8 2.2

Low-credentialed jobs in fields with potential for earnings growth(utilities, mfr, construction)

High school or less

$15 4.8 0.7

Source: Pollin et al, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Consider for your Youth• Construction training – relevant curricula :

• Nat’l Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)

• Home Builders Institute Pre-Traineeship Certificate training (PACT), or

• Building Trades Multi-Craft Core Curriculum• State approved weatherization curricula

• Additional green activities with credentials• Pre-Apprenticeships• Internships – through business, nonprofit,

educational partners

• Workforce readiness – various

New GREEN Youth Skills• Weatherization specialties• Solar installation or prep• Optimum Value Engineering (OVE) framing• Integrated Building Design (internships)• Water conservation • Basic environmental science• Land restoration• Biomass – growing & processing• Transmission and electrical basics• IT – for Smart Grid integration

Certifications:Type

• BPI building retrofit• RESNET building retrofit• LEED new construction• Energy Star new and retrofit• NCCER construction• PACT construction• NABCEP solar & wind• Green Advantage construction

… national benchmarks coming

ETA Resources and Information: www.workforce3one.org

ETA Resources and Information (continued)

• Resource Websites and Customer Supporto http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/ o www.doleta.govo www.workforce3one.orgo www.careervoyages.govo www.servicelocator.orgo 1-877‑US2-JOBS (TTY: 1-877-889-5627)

Q & A