A Growing Green Economy: Opportunities of Tomorrow

1. A Growing Green Economy: Opportunities of Tomorrow Supported by the National Network of Sector Partners & the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development Juliet Scarpa Seattle Jobs Initiative April 30, 2009 Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 1

2. Overview • Policy & Legislation • Advocacy • Investment & Economic Development • Industry Sectors • Jobs • Labor Market Challenges • Workforce Preparation • Puget Sound Sector Focus: Energy Efficiency • Recommendations Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 2

3. Policy & Legislation • Federal • Energy Bill – Green Jobs Act of 2007 (HB 2847) • Clean Energy Corps (April 2009) • Washington State • Climate Action & Green Jobs Bill of 2008 (HB 2815) • Evergreen Jobs Act of 2009 (HB 2227) • King County • Motion 12837 (August 2008) • City of Seattle • Green Building Capital Initiative (April 2009) Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 3

4. American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) • Workforce Investment Act • Additional $3.6B • High Growth & Emerging Industry Sector Grants • $750M; $500M for Green Jobs Act of 2007 • Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants • Additional $3.2B • Weatherization Assistance Program • Additional $5B • State Energy Programs • Additional $3.1B Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 4

5. Advocacy • Green For All • www.greenforall.org • Apollo Alliance • www.apolloalliance.org • Green Jobs for America Campaign • www.sierraclub.org/greenjobs • Blue Green Alliance • www.bluegreenalliance.org Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 5

6. Investment & Economic Development • Federal Investments • ARRA - $92B in clean technology • $33B in clean energy • $27B in energy efficiency • Washington Business • Washington Clean Tech Alliance • Financial Incentive Programs • Puget Sound Economic Development • Puget Sound Regional Council/Prosperity Partnership • enterpriseSeattle: Washington Energy Jobs Initiative Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 6

7. Industry Sectors • Green Building • Energy Efficiency • Renewable Energy • Recycling & Waste Management • SmartGrid/Smart Energy • Biofuels/Biomass • Alternative Transportation • Sustainable Agriculture Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 7

8. Jobs • Green Jobs: • Direct positive impact on the environment • Promote environmental protection and/or energy security • Green-Collar Jobs: • Traditionally blue-collar industries • Cannot be outsourced • In healthy working environments • Pay good family-supporting wages • Provide opportunities for skill and wage advancement • Many new jobs, but mostly the old jobs with new skills Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 8

9. Green Jobs: Examples • Green Building • Constructionequipment operators • Carpenters • Roofers • Energy Efficiency • Electricians • HVAC installers • Energy auditors • Insulation workers • Renewable Energy • Iron and steel workers • Sheet metal workers • Recycling & Waste Management • Hazardous materials removal workers • Waste treatment plant operators Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 9

10. Green Jobs: Examples • SmartGrid/Smart Energy • Power engineers • Computer technicians • Building operators • Biofuels/Biomass • Processing technicians • Industrial truck drivers • Alternative Transportation • Bike repairers • Hybrid automotive maintenance technicians • Welders • Sustainable Agriculture • Organic farm workers • Green roof installers Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 10

11. Green Labor Market Demand • Job opportunities will continue to grow • Many of these are middle-skill, middle-wage* jobs Source: WA Employment Security Department * Middle-skill jobs require more than a HS diploma but not a 4-year degree. Middle-wage jobs are middle-skill jobs that pay $17/hr + benefits. Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 11

12. Labor Market Supply • Despite current economy, long term issues of quantity and quality loom. • Labor shortages across traditional blue-collar sectors due to retirements, lack of interest, and lack of needed basic skills. Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 12

13. Puget Sound Green Workforce Preparation • Industry Skills Standards and Curriculum Development • Northwest Energy Efficiency Taskforce/Centralia Community College Center of Excellence • Skills Panels: Energy Technology; Power Generation; Green Building & Design • Connecting Youth • Opportunity Greenway; SWITCH Project • Pre-apprenticeships & Apprenticeships • Community College Programs • Environmental Horticulture, Sustainable Building Management, Sustainable Building Advisor, Residential Energy Auditing, Solar/Photovoltaic Designer, Zero Energy Building, Water Supply & Wastewater Technology, Energy Management, and others in various stages of development. Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 13

14. Sector Focus:Energy Efficiency in Puget Sound • Relatively low cost to implement methods • Large, well established, and growing industry • 69% of all green jobs in King County • Majority of work requires construction, manufacturing and utilities industry skills. • Northwest Energy Efficiency Workforce Opportunities Project (NEWOP) • Commercial and Residential Energy Efficiency Resource Clearinghouse and Industry Intermediary • Pilot cohort-based training model in Residential Energy Efficiency Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 14

15. Recommendations • POLICY: • Federal & state legislation – funding and programs • Alignment with other strategies • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: • Connect w/ industry stakeholders – growing/changing business and workforce needs • LABOR MARKET: • Current and future compositional challenges • Industry projections • TRAINING: • Inventory capacity in existing programs • Skills standards as foundation of ‘greening’ programs • Partnerships for successful sectoral strategies Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 15

16. For more information: • Juliet ScarpaSenior Policy AnalystSeattle Jobs Initiative • 206.628.6985 • jscarpa@seattlejobsinit.com Opening Doors to Living Wage Careers www.seattlejobsinitiative.com 16