Green Collar Jobs
You've heard of blue collar jobs and white collar jobs. . .the new so-called "green collar jobs" are  |
| Increasing numbers of our workforce in the U.S. and abroad are working in "green collar jobs" helping in the manufacturing, installing and maintenance of clean energy technologies such as these solar panels. |
those professions that earn a living while also protecting the environment. Think of a sheet metal worker helping to make towers for wind turbines or an electrician installing solar panels--the worker earns a decent wage, the nation achieves greater energy independence, and the environment is safe-guarded. Welcome to the emerging world of Green Collar Jobs.
Clean energy is quickly growing, with 2007 revenues of $77 billion up from $55 billion in 2006 with projections of tripling in the next decade (Source: Clean Edge, Inc. 2008). Welders, machinists, carpenters, and electricians who are already skilled in their trades have the opportunity to be trained to apply their skills in the manufacturing, installation and maintenance of clean energy systems. Currently 8.5 million people in the U.S. work in renewable energy and energy efficiency fields
with projections of 40 million by 2030 (Source: Business Week, 2008).
Who gets a green collar job? And what countries, states and regions get these jobs? Those that are prepared.
Here we present more resources for you to learn about this emerging workforce. . .we hope it helps Pennsylvania capture its share of green jobs.
Job Opportunities in a Green Economy: Focus on Pennsylvania
A 2008 report demonstrating that 553,000 jobs in a representative group of job areas in Pennsylania could see job growth or wage increases as clean energy strategies are implemented over the coming years.
Pennsylvania's new energy legislation which commits $600 million dollars towards the growth of alternative energy in the state will add thousands of green collar jobs to the Commonwealth. Currently Pennsylvania boasts 3,500 green jobs such as the approximately 200 employees at Gamesa's wind blade manufacturing plant in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.
Green Collar Jobs Blog
This site features green job boards, reports, green recruiters, green career books, and news headlines related to green jobs.
Job Opportunities for the Green Economy: A State-by-State Picture of Jobs that Gain from Green Investment
A 2008 report from the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst describes six investment strategies that touch over 45 types of jobs in its analysis of the green job market for states in the Northeast.
World Watch Institute: The Greening of Labor
A three part series tracking the growth of environmentally oriented jobs mainly in the clean energy sector with perspectives from the U.S. and around the world.
A Sampling of News Articles on the Topic:
New York Times: Millions of Jobs of a Different Collar
Newsweek: The Growth in Green Collar Jobs
Business Week: Switching to Green-Collar Jobs
If you find other good sources of information on Green Collar Jobs or if we've overlooked something here,
please let us know by sending us an email or giving us a call.
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