Helping our workforce go green may be the solution for our struggling economy.
The term “green collar” is steadily moving into our national consciousness, but what does it really mean? Social justice and environmental activist Van Jones of Berkeley, Calif., who’s widely credited with coining the term, defines it as “good local jobs that pay well, strengthen communities, provide pathways out of poverty and help solve our environmental problems.” That’s a tall order.
But consider: According to a report released in 2008 by the Center for American Progress and authored by the University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute, the United States could create 2 million jobs and reduce the national unemployment rate to 4.4 percent by investing $100 billion in green and environmental industries over the next two years; a significant piece of this money would be targeted at struggling commercial sectors such as construction and manufacturing. (Remember when $100 billion seemed like a lot?)
In August 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an Energy Bill that included the Green Jobs Act, which contains specific language about using a growing green economy as a “pathway out of poverty.” And the Senate’s Energy Savings Act of 2007 allows for $100 million in training for green collar jobs (though that money isn’t geared specifically toward low-income workers). And in December 2008, then-President-elect Obama reiterated his hope to save or create 2.5 million jobs by the end of 2010 by investing in “the green economy.”
Here in California, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, aka AB32, requires that, by 2020, the state’s greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 1990 levels (see “Change Is in the Air,”). According to the California League of Conservation Voters, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies will help forestall the effects of global warming; reduce the pollutants that cause smog, soot and toxic air pollution; protect the state from fluctuations in the price of oil; and lead to the creation of new, environmentally friendly jobs. This raises the question: Where will we find all the skilled green workers needed to make this vision a reality?
The 2009 Good Jobs, Green Jobs national conference takes place February 4-6 in Washington, D.C. Politicians, activists, employers and concerned citizens will join to discuss and debate a shift to more environmentally aware industries and the employees who will move these companies into the future. As our economy continues to struggle for equilibrium, many are pinning their hopes on this emerging workforce.
Clearly, our nation seems poised for a shift. So how is the North Bay reacting to these new opportunities?
A rising green tide
“It’s the wave of the future,” says Karen Fies, director of the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board (SCWIB), its Workforce Investment Act programs (through Job Link) and the county’s CalWORKS program, which focuses on welfare-to-work training. “We recently brought together local industry leaders with educators and representatives from Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonoma State University and elementary and secondary education programs in the county, including superintendent of schools Carl Wong, to talk about future opportunities in these areas. During the meeting, we discussed how green collar jobs are in a position similar to where the computer industry was 40 years ago.
“Back then, we all thought of computers as highly technical devices that were important for advanced scientific research and very constricted audiences; we didn’t realize how pervasive computers could be. Now there are computer chips in everything. Green will be like that. It will eventually layer through and touch every industry. We can’t even conceive of it all now.”
Ten years ago, the SCWIB joined with similar boards in Napa, Marin and Solano counties to form the North Bay Employment Connection (NBEC), which applies for grants and pools resources for regional workforce strategic planning. “We’re conducting regional skill assessments, working with existing employers to find out what they need,” explains Bruce Wilson, director of the Napa County Workforce Investment Board (NCWIB), which is an NBEC member. “If you look at things like the AB32 state legislation, [a green economy is] coming. And as a workforce system, we need to be ready.”
By addressing the needs and opportunities of the North Bay as a whole rather than leaving each county to fend for itself, NBEC is forging a stronger base for future workforce training and education. To further these efforts in the energy sector, “We’re applying for a federal grant,” says Fies. “We want to build new partnerships, career pathways, curriculum [K-12 and post-secondary] and research the trends.”
From there, each county will concentrate on the industries identified as its leaders. “Training programs are dictated by the local economy,” says Wilson. “In Napa, sectors like trade, transportation, hospitality and health are important. But we’re also studying the emerging alternative energy sector. It’s still in its infancy, but we’ve already begun researching what those jobs are, where they’re going to be and what types of training programs will help workers take those roles.
“In the near-term, we’ll facilitate discussion with employers to find out about what jobs exist and what jobs are coming,” he continues. “We can use some of our current resources to begin facilitating workers for available opportunities now. These include assessing skill matches between job seekers and employers and subsidizing on-the-job training or work experience programs, in which the employer is effectively used as the training program.”
“One way or another—public or private—the funding will come if the need is there,” says Fies. “We’re looking at involving government agencies in funding, but also in approaching employers and labor organizations to participate in training programs. It’s in everyone’s best interest to be involved.”
Education and motivation
For those who want a head start, Sonoma State University, Dominican University, Santa Rosa Junior College and Napa Valley College all offer degree and certificate programs geared toward various aspects of sustainability. And the SCWIB has begun conversations with local school boards to develop and expand certain Pathways programs to include more environmental and sustainable options. (Pathways is a high school curriculum track geared toward more vocational goals than college preparatory courses.) In addition, says Fies, “We’re also working to develop new or cater existing programs to meet workforce needs—and to educate students about those needs and the availability of these programs.
“At the [recent] meeting, for example, representatives from the water agency talked about needing workers with a specific type of experience. It turned out Santa Rosa Junior College already had a program that was very similar to what was needed, and the two entities began talking about what could be modified to meet the need. It’s that kind of collaboration we need to make the North Bay a hub of this new workforce and green issues.”
Amy Leyack, co-founder of Santa Rosa-based ECOrecruiters, a national executive search firm with a decidedly green bent, adds, “We’re fortunate that the North Bay has a lot of great options as far as certificate programs, Dominican’s green MBA, and other [training and educational] programs. Participating in some of those classes can certainly be beneficial as a segue into a green career.
“That said, a lot of our clients remain enthusiastic about candidates who may not have ‘green’ training, but who are personally passionate about the environment. We’ve found it helpful, when presenting candidates, to make note of personal accomplishments—are they volunteering with local environmental nonprofits? Those types of personal pursuits can always be taken into account. Green companies want someone to be in line with the corporate vision.”
Launched in early 2008, ECOrecruiters is a division of Recruiting Resources LLC, a 10-year-old, Santa Rosa-based national recruiting firm. “So many of our long-term clients were working to become more green,” says Leyack’s partner Deborah Ranish. “Also, we had gained a lot of new clients that were already green. Amy and I looked at those trends and realized that, in the last two to three years, almost 75 percent of our client base was now green-focused. It just made sense for us to do the same thing.”
“If we weren’t in the North Bay, I don’t know that we would have been pulled into this [green recruiting] as quickly,” adds Leyack. “But just by virtue of what our clients were asking for, we were moved in that direction.”
Greening your career
Marie Kerpan felt a similar tug—but hers was more personal. In the late 1990s, she was working as a career consultant in the San Francisco office of Drake Beam Morin (DBM), an outplacement consulting firm. But, “I was starting to want a career change for myself,” she remembers.
“At that time, the sustainability movement was just beginning to grow. I’ve always been an environmentalist and an outdoors-type, and I started to ask myself how I could steer my own career in that direction. I wanted to align my skills with my values. I began doing private consulting for professionals who wanted to make a similar shift.”
Kerpan is now principal of Green Careers, a Marin County consulting practice that supports transitions to careers that promote ecological, social and economic sustainability: “I work with professionals in all sectors—business, nonprofit and public.” She’s also on the faculty of Dominican University’s green MBA program (see “Greener Learning,” February 2008), has served as director of Sustainable Marin (see “Green Scene,” January 2009) and is a co-founder of Sustainable Mill Valley.
“When someone comes to me interested in having a green career, I first advise them to get grounded in the big picture,” she says. “It’s important to educate yourself—choose a direction you find interesting and look for a way to apply your skills and experience—but that doesn’t necessarily mean going back to school or into a formal training program.
“I recommend a book called The Eco Guide to Careers that Make a Difference: Environmental Work for a Sustainable World, that describes 18 careers in the emerging green economy. It’s a great way for those who are unsure of their direction to start getting focused. I also advise attending events like the GreenFestival in San Francisco [www.greenfestivals.org] or the Bioneers Conference in Marin [www.bioneers.org], which are rich with opportunities to immerse yourself in issues, meet leaders and network.”
Ranish and Leyack use many of the same techniques. “We find people through a wide variety of traditional recruiting methods. We do a lot of networking, attend conferences, things like that,” says Ranish. “You can find people who have all the hard skills you’re looking for, but you also need to find those people with a passion for environmentally conscious business strategies and products. So it’s as much about screening for personality as it is for skill and ability.”
According to Kerpan, shifting to a greener career doesn’t have to entail a drastic move. “Basic business skills can transfer to different industries that may be more aligned with personal values and interests,” she says. “Moving to a more environmentally friendly organization within the same industry can be an easy way to improve career satisfaction.”
Kerpan, Ranish and Leyack have all noticed increased interest in green careers, especially among older professionals. “I work primarily with mid- and late-career professionals, including baby boomers who are eyeing a move into values-driven second careers that ‘give something back,’” says Kerpan. “Many professionals are frustrated with ‘business as usual.’ Smart people are looking for a corporate culture that’s aligned with their personal values.”
“Just as our long-term clients are becoming more green, so are our candidates,” says Ranish. “Almost every day, we hear from someone we’ve had discussions with in the past, or a brand new connection will contact us. They’re currently in a position that’s very traditional—not green—and their career objective has become to use the skills they have to work in a more eco-friendly environment. Maybe they’re becoming dissatisfied with the direction their company—or their industry—is headed. Something doesn’t feel right, and they want to make a positive change.”
Embracing change
It’s one thing to choose to pursue a new career; it’s another thing entirely to be forced to make such a shift. But that’s the reality for countless blue collar workers here in the North Bay and across the nation, who’ve watched their opportunities dwindle in the face of corporate cutbacks and international outsourcing. Retraining this experienced workforce will be one key to the success of a coming green economy.
“The demand for green workers could explode, and it will cut across all industries,” predicts NCWIB’s Wilson. “Of course, some jobs will require higher levels of math or science backgrounds, but it won’t be like the computer and Internet job explosion, where everyone needed a higher level of education and training. There will be many opportunities available through short-term training options, such as associate degrees and certificate programs, and even local, customized training. This shift will open opportunities for many more people at all levels.”
The most important thing to remember about service-oriented jobs is, they can’t be easily outsourced. No matter how green we go, we’ll still need our stuff installed, maintained, repaired and inspected—and that’s good news.
“Many blue collar workers will find they have transferable skills, because there are a lot of parallels between green industries and traditional ones,” says Karen Fies. “Everyone knows about solar installation, but I think fewer people are talking about solar maintenance. Likewise, mechanics for hybrid and electric vehicles will be increasingly in demand. Both of those are careers that can transfer from traditional ones.
“And since everyone will someday be subject to ‘energy audits’ to evaluate their energy use, another growing occupation will be as an energy auditor. Of course, we’ll need more researchers and engineers, but there will also be room for roofers, HVAC technicians and electricians to move into solar installation and maintenance.”
Ahead of the curve
Not all industries can become completely “clean,” but as we continue as a community to ask for more environmentally friendly solutions, some will surface from unexpected places. For example, based on upcoming mandates from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Blake’s Auto Body (with shops in Marin and Sonoma counties) began a major production shift in 2007.
“By 2010, the Bay Area Quality Control Board has mandated a switch from solvent-based paints to water-based. We wanted to be ahead of that curve,” says Blake’s General Manager Marc Sebastian of the looming deadline. “We wanted to switch early and really be the trendsetters.”
After careful research, Sebastian and owner Blake Andros chose 90 Line, a BASF paint system that was developed in Germany and has been used in European markets for about 13 years. “This isn’t a new product; it’s been tested and proven,” Sebastian explains. “Instead of using a solvent as an activator, this system uses water as an activator. As a result, less VOCs and fewer chemicals are released during painting.
“I went to Los Angeles and watched demonstrations by BASF professionals; they then came to our shops and retrained our staff. It was a bit of a challenge, but we felt it was worth it.”
In September 2007, the company’s Santa Rosa shop was the first to transition over. Company shops in San Rafael, Novato and Rohnert Park followed suit, and by February 2008, all four Blake’s locations were using the water-based system. “We were the first BASF shop in Northern California to make the switch,” says Sebastian. “Now some other large facilities have begun transitioning over as well, and I think it’s great. This isn’t about being the only ones to make the change. I think the sooner all the shops make the switch, the better it’ll be for the environment and the community.
“The reality is, it’s cool to be green, but I think it has to be more than that,” he continues. “Green has to be a destination. Whether you’re talking about water-based paints or green construction methods, it’s about being conscientious and diligent in our choices. We all have to consider the bigger picture.”
No time like the present
Blake’s story is a reminder that we live in a place that, in many ways, is ahead of the green curve. Local communities are asking for cleaner solutions, and not only are local governments responding, so are private industries.
“If you really look at the North Bay, it’s like we’re a perfect lab for this—especially alternative energy,” says Karen Fies. “We have the ocean for wave power, the geysers for geothermal, the East Bay has the wind corridor. If you want to train employees or research what’s possible, this is the place to do it.”
As we go to press, the question of how our current economic state will affect our nation’s move toward this cleaner, greener future remains unanswered. But for Fies, at least, our direction is clear: “We can’t wait for the economy to settle down before we move forward,” she says. “These industries will continue to grow. Everything will go forward without a solution to the economy, so we, as a region, have to work now to position ourselves as a destination for these jobs.
“If we don’t do this, someone else will. We need to put the North Bay at the forefront of what’s to come.”
But consider: According to a report released in 2008 by the Center for American Progress and authored by the University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute, the United States could create 2 million jobs and reduce the national unemployment rate to 4.4 percent by investing $100 billion in green and environmental industries over the next two years; a significant piece of this money would be targeted at struggling commercial sectors such as construction and manufacturing. (Remember when $100 billion seemed like a lot?)
