GREEN COLLAR WORKERS AND OTHER 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 with the skills to install Toilet A, do you need new training to install toilet B?

Is one forklift operator greener than another? Does the operator’s “greenness” depend on: A. the fuel source for the forklift B. the materials being moved C. the way those materials will subsequently be used D. the education and training of the operator E. 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 Comparisons Decreased energy consumption or cost per unit Increased energy consumption or cost per unit Increased Emissions Decreased Emissions

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 – (512) California Employment Development Department Center on Wisconsin Strategy Community and technical colleges