1. project Green Skill Requirements for Green Job Vacancies Oriane Casale Assistant Director Labor Market Information Office Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development www.PositivelyMinnesota.com ‘‘This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.’’

2. The Research Project Period: October 2009 to June 2011 (four survey rounds) Goal: Count and characterize green job vacancies in Minnesota; develop career info on green jobs. Methodology: Builds off the Minnesota Job Vacancy Survey Adds telephone interview on potentially green jobs to ­ confirm the environmental activities of each position. ­ gather qualitative information on skill and knowledge requirements, job duties, and hiring difficulty. Adds in-depth interviews with key companies in key sectors.

3. MN Definition of Green Job Directly and/or essentially related to a green process, green product, or green service and engaged for at least 50% of the time in: Environmental regulation, research, or advocacy Sustainable agriculture or natural resource conservation Environmental cleanup Energy efficiency Renewable energy or alternative fuels

4. Green Sectors

5. Overall Findings From Fall 2009 - Fall 2010 green vacancies have consistently been about 2% of all vacancies. So not growing faster or slower than overall economy. Translates to an average of 670 vacancies per quarter. Characteristics of green vacancies are different from economy wide vacancies.

6. Quality Quality of green jobs is higher: 88% of green job vacancies were full-time positions, versus 12% part-time. Wages tend to be higher, probably because these positions require more education/experience. Data will be available on green career website by the end of September.

7. Qualifications 70% of all green vacancies need school or training beyond a high school diploma. 80% require work experience. 12% require a license. 5% require a certification. Common green certifications include LEED Accredited Professional (AP) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

8. Educational Characteristics of Green Vacancies Education Categories Green Vacancies All Vacancies H.S./GED degree or less 29%51% Vocational degree 23%9% Associate’s degree 6% Bachelor’s degree 38%21% Advanced degree 3%5% No response 1%8%

9. Experience Characteristics of Green Vacancies Experience Requirements Green Vacancies All Vacancies No experience 16%27% Some work experience 23%30% Field-related experience 57%35% No response 5%8%

10. Newly Created vs. Replacements Split 50/50 between newly created position and replacement hiring Two forms of expansion hiring: 1. Increased staffing for green tasks. 2. Creation of entirely new positions with an exclusively green purpose. One-fourth of newly created positions were identified as green N&E occupations (Sustainability Coordinator, etc).

11. Labor Force Gaps? Employers had no difficulty recruiting for green jobs, even jobs requiring the most experience. Rare cases of hiring difficulties were due to lack of: Experience in a specific industry (especially emerging markets like renewable energy). Experience with specialized engineering design. Special combinations of technical experience and non- technical knowledge, possibly suggesting the need for more multidisciplinary training.

12. Skills Research We asked a series of questions on skills necessary for the position: Supervisory Project Management Mathematics (from basic to advanced) Technology Design Information Technology Technical Skills

13. Knowledge Research We also asked the importance of the following knowledge areas: Legal Science Mechanical (both skill and knowledge) Sales or Marketing Construction Other

14. Skills and Knowledge Findings (preliminary) Technical skills were the most commonly required skills in green job vacancies (69%), followed by math (60%). Technical and math skills combined were required in 55% of all green estimated vacancies. Mechanical and science knowledge are the most commonly required knowledge categories. Overall Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas were most typical for green work. Project Management skills were needed in 20% of cases.

15. In-demand S&K Rather than “new” skills, we are finding specialized expertise in traditional areas with some add-ons typically associated with: The use of new technologies A new way of approaching an issue A new way of combining/applying existing skills and knowledge in a multi-disciplinary fashion

16. S&K Trends – Employer Quotes “No new skills, but as we see a greening of the economy this position will have to stay on top of changing issues and regulations.” “As new technologies come along, employees in this position must train for them.” “Ongoing learning will become essential to this position as the field evolves with new technologies.”

17. Most Impacted Occupations Environmental Engineers and Technicians Architects Mechanical Engineers, Techn. and Drafters Hydrologists and Geologists Electrical Engineers, Techn. and Drafters Plumbers and Estimators Chemists and Chemical EngineersHVAC Technicians Industrial and Civil EngineersMarketing Managers Compliance OfficersSupervisors/Managers of Construction Workers Business Operations Specialists Hazardous Material Removal Workers

18. New & Emerging Green Occupations Energy Engineer Air Quality Control Specialist Lean Manufacturing Engineer Supply Chain Manager Water/Wastewater Engineer Energy Auditor Wind Turbine TechnicianSustainability Coordinator Environmental Restoration Planner Environmental Compliance Manager Recycling Workers

19. Specialized Green Knowledge Energy Efficiency: Understand the principles of energy conservation Waste Management: Identify, minimize or reduce waste and manage hazardous waste Pollution Monitoring and Control: Monitor pollution through scientific measures and design solutions for prevention and mitigation Environmental Regulations: Knowledge of firm and government policies, regulation and permitting Natural Resource Conservation and Management : Plan and implement conservation practices

20. Specialized Green Knowledge (Continued) Lean Production and Operation Systems: Knowledge of lean principles, processes, and tools to reduce waste and promote long-term sustainability Commercialization of Green Products: Knowledge of industry trends and customer needs to introduce, promote, and distribute green products/services Computer Modeling Programs/Tools : Knowledge of software applications to track pollution sources and simulate impact of design decisions on energy consumption. Spatial Analysis and Management of Geospatial Data: GIS for environmental design and natural resource management

21. Soft Skills Learning: To apply evolving and new knowledge Communicating /Collaborating: To function effectively within multidisciplinary and multi-functional teams Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Advanced Troubleshooting: To recognize, assess and resolve increasingly complex environmental problems Persuading: To influence change within an organization or communicate benefits of innovative green products to prospective customers

22. For More Information www.positivelyminnesota.com/Data_Publications/Data/Green_Jobs/index.aspx Final report and findings Articles on green manufacturing and green entrepreneurship Contact: Oriane Casale Assistant Director of LMI Office, DEED Oriane.Casale@state.mn.us.