GREEN COLLAR WORKERS

ANDOTHER MYTHICAL

CREATURES

Common Data Requests• Descriptive statistics: How many green collar workers are currently employed by

location and type?

• Forecasts

– What will be the future employment demand?

– What KSAs will green job-seekers need?

– How many are in the training pipeline?

– What skills gaps loom on the horizon?

– Will an insufficient supply of workers with appropriate KSAs thwart policy goals and objectives?

– How much will green workforce development cost?

– What will be the return on investments in green collar worker preparation?

WHO’S ASKING

• Elected officials and candidates• The media• LWDAs, COGs, EDCs• Industry and professional association• Education and training partners• Specific employers

The Data Dilemma

• Lack of clear operational definition– green economy– green industry– green occupation– green job

• Surplus of “inspired” definitions

• Political pitfalls

What’s the difference

between these two toilets?

WHICH OF THE TWO IS “GREEN”

If you are a plumber withthe skills to install Toilet A,do you need new trainingto install toilet B?

Is one forklift operator

greener than another?

Does the operator’s “greenness” depend on:A. the fuel source for the forkliftB. the materials being movedC. the way those materials will subsequently be usedD. the education and training of the operatorE. A, B and C but not D.

Who/what constitutes“green building”?

• Forestry & lumber milling• Construction & specialty trades• Architectural & landscape design•Procurement, project management, quality control• Imbedded software development & integration• Materials sciences, chemistry, physics, engineering

Types of Definitions

• By Industry

• By Firm

• By Occupation

• By Detailed Work Assignment

Outcomes-Based Approach

• What is its net impact on energy consumption?– Compute in term of “BBOEs” (barrel of oil

equivalents)– Compute in terms of cost per unit of energy (e.g.,

$/BUT, $/kilowatt, $/megajouel

• What is its net impact on emissions of CO2, SO2 and NOx?

• What is its impact on net job creation?

Bubble Chart ComparisonsDecreased energy consumption or cost per unit

Increased energy consumption or cost per unit

IncreasedEmissions

DecreasedEmissions

What Are the Policy Levers

• Regulations and fines• Market forces (e.g., green profit centers

through carbon cap and trade, enhanced oil recovery)

• Financial incentives for R&D, pilot/demon-stration projects commercialization?

• Government procurement• Consumer education• Workforce preparation

Scalable Response• Sound employment growth forecasts, not

hyperbole• How different are the required knowledge,

skills and abilities (KSAs)?• Where do efforts to impart those KSAs fit into

the curriculum?– New major/program of study?– New course (basic or capstone)?– New module (e.g., less than semester length)?

• Who’s the target? (incumbent worker skill upgrade, postdoctoral student. . . high school)

Resources• Texas LMCI

– Web site www.lmci.state.tx.us– (512) 491-4803

• California Employment Development Department www.edd.cal.gov

• Center on Wisconsin Strategy www.cows.org

• Community and technical colleges