The Greening of Oregon’s Workforce. Jobs, Wages, and Training Oregon School Boards Association November 12, 2010

Oregon’s Definition of a “Green Job”… A green job is one that provides a service or produces a product in any of the following categories: 1.Increasing energy efficiency 2.Producing renewable energy 3.Preventing, reducing, or mitigating environmental degradation 4.Cleaning up and restoring the natural environment 5.Providing education, consulting, policy promotion, accreditation, trading and offsets, or similar services supporting any of the other categories Note: we wanted one or more of these things to be an “essential function” of the job.

Key Finding: Oregon had roughly 51,000 green jobs. 51,402 green jobs in 2008, spread across... 5,025 employers all major industry groups 226 different occupations Represents about 3 percent of the employment in the private sector and state and local government To give perspective … this is roughly the same as the number of employees working in Oregon’s private hospitals.

Key Finding: Many green jobs are in blue collar occupations.

Eleven occupations had at least 1,000 green jobs.

Green wage levels are spread across a wide spectrum, just like wages of all jobs.

But very few green jobs pay very low wages …

Key Finding: “On average, green jobs tended toward slightly higher wages than jobs across the entire economy.” Average wage for all jobs: $19.92 per hour Average wage for green jobs: $22.61 per hour Half of all jobs pay $15.22 or more per hour About 2/3 of all green jobs pay $15.00 or more per hour Occupation mix explains some of the difference, but not all

Green wage levels depend on the occupation

Key Finding: Two-thirds of green jobs require no education beyond high school.

Education requirements vary widely by occupation.

Key Finding: About one-third of green jobs require some kind of special license / certificate. Some jobs have more than one special requirement.

As is true with the whole economy … jobs requiring more education usually pay higher wages.

Key Finding: Employers project a 14% increase in green jobs between 2008 and 2010.

Oregon’s Green LMI Improvement Grant December 2009 – May 2011 (18 months) $1.25 million Provided by national Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Working with many partners Oregon Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (DCCWD) Oregon Career Information System (CIS) Other workforce, education, and training entities

The Green LMI Grant has Five Major Components 1.In-depth Study of Green Occupations 2.Employment Analysis of Companies in Specific Green Sectors 3.Analysis of Agricultural Green Jobs 4.Special Reports and Publications 5.AutoCoder and Green Jobs Extractor for WorkSource Oregon Management Information System (WOMIS) DCCWD & CIS will also complete other major components

In-depth Study of Occupations 1.Compilation of already-known information 2.Gather information through surveys and focus groups 3.Identify skills associated with occupations that have green jobs 4.Analyze the specific skill requirements for green jobs in selected occupations 5.Identify other unique characteristics of an occupation’s green jobs 6.Identify the skill ladders that form green career pathways 7.Conduct WorkKeys assessments on green job tasks in selected occupations

Oregon’s Career Information System (CIS) Determine career planners’ needs for information related to green jobs Incorporate needed data into the CIS New occupations and industries files detailing required skills, training, and credentials Updated FAQs Overview articles of new information Develop curriculum to help students understand green jobs Collaborate with national CIS office

DCCWD – Career Pathways Identify and map career paths and skill progressions that lead to green jobs Identify industry and occupation-specific technical competencies Design career roadmaps (and certificates if appropriate) for entry-level positions and progressive job advancement This project will use a new, statewide approach which links available occupational training at multiple community colleges throughout Oregon

House Bill 3300 & Oregon’s Green Jobs Council 1.Identify high demand green industries 2.Promote development of emerging green technologies and innovations 3.Leverage and align existing public workforce development programs 4.Link adult basic education programs to green jobs training programs 5.Identify skills and competencies necessary for green job career pathways 6.Ensure that support services are integrated into green jobs training programs for targeted populations 7.Define terms related to green jobs and the green economy that are consistent with current workforce development and economic development terminology

Timeline of Green Jobs Council Efforts January 14 th, 2010: submission of Oregon Green Jobs Growth Plan Draft and Process for Completion September 1 st, 2010: Completion of Final Draft of Plan: Delivery of budget requests to the Governor’s office January 2011: Submission of final Plan and formal presentation to the Legislature

Green Jobs Growth Plan: K-12 Recommendations 33 specific action recommendations in 5 categories 1.Increase the sustainability literacy of each student 2.Provide K-12 students with career guidance and information related to green jobs 3.Make hand-on learning opportunities available to middle and high school students 4.Increase readiness of K-12 teachers to provide education on sustainability 5.Convene a working session of relevant stakeholders to implement strategies put forth in the Green Jobs Growth Plan

Charlie Johnson Green Jobs Economist