The Green Economy and Community Based Workforce Development Organizations

1. “Occasionally something different happens, a collective awakening to new possibilities that changes everything over time – how people see the world, what they value, how society defines progress and organizes itself, and how institutions operate. The Renaissance was such a shift, as was the Industrial Revolution. So, too, is what is starting to happen around the world today.” Peter Senge, The Necessary Revolution massworkforcealliance.org 2009

2. The Green Economy and Community Based Workforce Development Organizations Massachusetts Workforce Alliance, 2009

3. Three goals: • Understanding the opportunity • Identifying the unique role for and needs of community based wd programs • Outlining next steps massworkforcealliance.org 2009

4. What is the ‘green’ economy? And why is it growing? massworkforcealliance.org 2009

5. What is a ‘green’ job? massworkforcealliance.org 2009

6. Apollo Alliance’s definition: Green-collar jobs are well paid, career track jobs that contribute directly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality. massworkforcealliance.org 2009

7. Green-Collar Jobs…  • Rebuild a strong middle class • Provide pathways out of poverty • Require some new skills (and some new thinking about old skills) • Tend to be local jobs • Strengthen urban and rural communities • Protect our health and the health of the planet definition from Green For All massworkforcealliance.org 2009

8. CA Employment Development Department Green is any activity or service that performs at least one of the following: • Generating renewable energy • Recycling existing materials • Energy efficient product manufacturing, construction, installation and maintenance • Education, compliance and awareness • Natural and sustainable product manufacturing massworkforcealliance.org 2009

9. Industry sectors • Energy • Construction • Transportation • Material waste / Recycling /Deconstruction • Non-toxic materials and processes • Food / Agriculture • Water • Local production massworkforcealliance.org 2009

10. Job Projections

11. Summary of US Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Industries in 2007Management Information Services Inc. and American Solar Energy Society, 2008 massworkforcealliance.org 2009

12. Construction The overall green building market is likely to more than double from today’s $36-49 billion to $96-140 billion by 2013 (Source: McGraw Hill Construction (2009). Green Outlook 2009: Trends Driving Change.) massworkforcealliance.org 2009

13. What kinds of jobs?

14. R. Pinderhughes entry level green jobs, Bay Area, CA 22 sectors with entry level jobs, including • Bicycle repair and bike delivery • Car and truck mechanic jobs related to alternative fuels • Waste composting • Hazardous materials clean up • Public transit jobs massworkforcealliance.org 2009

15. Pollin, Green Recovery Identified jobs in • Building Retrofit • Mass Transit/Freight Rail • Smart Grid • Wind and Solar • Advanced Biofuels massworkforcealliance.org 2009

16. Also • Electricians • Plumbers • Green roof installers and maintainers • Building maintainers • Utility workers massworkforcealliance.org 2009

17. There will be some new jobs others will be refocused

18. MA Clean Energy Sector: • 14,400 jobs in clean energy cluster • Now 10th largest industry in the state • Surveyed executives expect 30% job growth in renewable energy firms and 25% for energy efficiency firms over the next year. Mass Clean Energy Industry Census Report, August 2007, Mass Technology Collaborative massworkforcealliance.org 2009

19. Clean Tech Agenda • Make Massachusetts a leader in clean tech • 5 areas of opportunity for MA • Safer alternatives – non-toxic / less toxic products and processes • Green building • Emerging materials – bio and nano technologies • Clean energy • Materials re-use Clean Tech: An Agenda for a Healthy Economy, 2007 massworkforcealliance.org 2009

20. policy and regulation massworkforcealliance.org 2009

21. MA picture • Green Communities Act • Green Jobs bill • Global Warming Solutions Act • Oceans Act • Clean Energy Biofuels Act • Decoupling • Commonwealth Solar program massworkforcealliance.org 2009

22. Other MA efforts and organizations • Clean Energy Center • NE Clean Energy Council • Mass Technology Collaborative • community energy committees • Mass Green Jobs Coalition (MAGJC) massworkforcealliance.org 2009

23. National picture American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka stimulus package) • 2 years of funding • Quick start projects • Unclear how some monies will come to states and programs; much will come through traditional channels and formulas • 79,000 jobs created in MA (us gov estimate) massworkforcealliance.org 2009

24. Training • Additional WIA funding • Energy efficiency and renewable energy worker training funds • Worker training funds for electricity delivery and energy reliability activities (DOE) • Highway construction OJT and support funds massworkforcealliance.org 2009

25. Industries stimulated • Weatherization and building retrofit • Expanding mass transit and freight rail • Constructing smart electrical grid • Renewable energy • Water and land use/clean up • Road and bridge construction massworkforcealliance.org 2009

26. Other national actors: • Green For All • Apollo Alliance • One Sky • Blue Green Alliance (United Steel Workers and Sierra Club) • Moveon.org massworkforcealliance.org 2009

27. What kinds of knowledge and skills are needed? massworkforcealliance.org 2009

28. Specific skills are needed, as well as… • Readiness to work • Basic skills in math, writing, communication, and analysis • Facility with computers • Concern about the environment and the community • Ability to communicate technically and plainly with customers • Ability to be flexible and adapt to change massworkforcealliance.org 2009

29. And, • There is a premium on understanding the situation, systems thinking, making connections • Because this is a watershed time in our global economy/structure, a lot isn’t yet known  massworkforcealliance.org 2009

30. Credentials/certifications • Energy efficiency • Solar • Insulation • Construction • Safety massworkforcealliance.org 2009

31. Examples of Community Based ‘green’ WD programs • Solar Richmond – pv installation • Sustainable South Bronx / DC Greenworks – green roofs, urban arboriculture • WAGES – non-toxic cleaning • Piedmont Biofuels - biodiesel • Growing Home – urban farming • Second Chance - deconstruction massworkforcealliance.org 2009

32. Other training providers • Community and Technical Colleges • Unions • Training accredited by national organizations massworkforcealliance.org 2009

33. What can help grow this economy? • National and state policy and regulation • Municipal policy and regulation; municipal purchasing • Industry investment • Market demand • Citizen education and activism and advocacy massworkforcealliance.org 2009

34. Discussion • What are the assets cbos bring to training? • What needs to happen for cbos serving low income communities in MA to be significantly involved? on the practical and policy levels • What would helpful for the legislature to know about wd cbos and the populations that they serve? massworkforcealliance.org 2009

35. Building a competitive and equitable green economy means investing in the backbone of America’s labor force: workers with more than high school, but less than a four-year degree. Green Collar Jobs in America’s Cities