Posted by: Renewable energy and energy efficiency are not just popular topics because of the ongoing environmentally-friendly craze. And, it’s not just due to the Obama Administration’s desire to cut America’s dependency on foreign oil and to help preserve our country and planet for future generations. The fact is that in today’s economic environment, green jobs are one of the most promising growth areas available to the legions of unemployed Americans.
An incredible illustration of just how much growth is projected in the green jobs market is the recent program established by the United States Department of Labor called Pathways out of Poverty. A part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this program creates $150 million in green jobs training grants to help bring unemployed Americans out of poverty and into self-sufficiency. This training is designed to help them land employment in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.
The grants have been targeted to U.S. Census-designated Public Micro Data Areas (PUMAs) where poverty rates are 15 percent or higher. One of these grant recipients, the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) is working with ICF Macro and Monster to help train limited English proficiency individuals, Native Americans and ex-offenders in the job skills and abilities needed to succeed in green jobs.
With the help of Monster, NARC is using their grant money to help create a high-performance workforce in their representative cities, including Apache Junction, AZ, Bisbee, AZ, Midland, TX, Odessa, TX and Dayton, OH. They are ensuring that individuals are trained and placed in the jobs where they are uniquely qualified.
In an effort to ensure that local unemployed individuals are trained in the skills necessary for the green jobs available to them, Monster is working with NARC to conduct research and acquire real-time labor statistics to determine the jobs that are available and what abilities are needed in those jobs. This is the first step in creating a high-performance workforce; getting informed.
The next step in creating a high-performance workforce is to get educated. NARC is accomplishing this by providing training and support to their workforce to help them learn the skills they need to pursue jobs in the green energy space. This ensures that the workforce is prepared and equipped for the unique needs of this green growth industry.
Finally, NARC, ICF Macro and Monster are working to together to accomplish the third and final step towards creating a high-performance workforce; getting employed. Through Monster’s Green Jobs Online Career System, NARC will be able to offer continued encouragement and support to program participants to increase retention, and assist in the placement of participants through tailored online job boards.
The Pathways of out Poverty grant program is a great example of how green jobs are the future, and paving the way for high-performance, employed workforces across America.
How can green jobs help put your workforce to work?
Mon, Feb 22, 2010
State & Local