Green Collar Jobs Could Fill Many Needs: Report
Green collar jobs are high quality, poised for growth and have low barriers for entry, according to a report released last week.
Green collar jobs are high quality, poised for growth and have low barriers for entry, according to a report released last week.
The report, "Green Collar Jobs: An Analysis of the Capacity of Green Businesses to Provide High Quality Jobs for Men and Women with Barriers to Employment," examines how the green economy could benefit Bay Area residents facing obstacles in employment.
The report, commissioned by the City of Berkeley's Office of Energy and Sustainable Development, focused on the city's ability to provide green collar jobs to those lacking high school diplomas or work experience, or who were formerly incarcerated. These jobs -- which are blue collar jobs within the green economy -- can be found in non-profits, social enterprises and the public sector.
Author Raquel Pinderhughes identified 22 sectors within the general economy that support green collar jobs, such as green building, energy retrofits and sustainable food production. Pinderhughes is a senior advisor to the Ella Baker Center and Green For All, as well as a steering committee member of the Oakland Apollo Alliance.
The study found that these jobs offer living wages and job satisfaction in a market that is facing a shortage of workers skilled in these areas. Demand is forecast to continue growing.
The author, also a San Francisco State University professor, found through surveys with green businesses in Berkeley that the jobs paid $4 more than the city's living wage and provided training and benefits for the vast majority of green collar workers.
"Poverty, unemployment and racial inequality are significant problems in the United States, and there is an urgent need for a new source of living wage jobs for low income residents with barriers to employment," Pinderhughes said. "Where can these jobs come from? This research project shows that an important part of the answer is the deliberate cultivation of 'green-collar’ jobs."
The study recommended that the market for green collar jobs be supported by affordable and reliable space to ensure growth, and resources and coordination between businesses and training programs.
The report also offers a green collar jobs model being used in developing the Oakland Green Jobs Corps which targeted men and women aged 18 to 35 years old with training and internship opportunities.
The report, "Green Collar Jobs: An Analysis of the Capacity of Green Businesses to Provide High Quality Jobs for Men and Women with Barriers to Employment," examines how the green economy could benefit Bay Area residents facing obstacles in employment.
The report, commissioned by the City of Berkeley's Office of Energy and Sustainable Development, focused on the city's ability to provide green collar jobs to those lacking high school diplomas or work experience, or who were formerly incarcerated. These jobs -- which are blue collar jobs within the green economy -- can be found in non-profits, social enterprises and the public sector.
Author Raquel Pinderhughes identified 22 sectors within the general economy that support green collar jobs, such as green building, energy retrofits and sustainable food production. Pinderhughes is a senior advisor to the Ella Baker Center and Green For All, as well as a steering committee member of the Oakland Apollo Alliance.
The study found that these jobs offer living wages and job satisfaction in a market that is facing a shortage of workers skilled in these areas. Demand is forecast to continue growing.
The author, also a San Francisco State University professor, found through surveys with green businesses in Berkeley that the jobs paid $4 more than the city's living wage and provided training and benefits for the vast majority of green collar workers.
"Poverty, unemployment and racial inequality are significant problems in the United States, and there is an urgent need for a new source of living wage jobs for low income residents with barriers to employment," Pinderhughes said. "Where can these jobs come from? This research project shows that an important part of the answer is the deliberate cultivation of 'green-collar’ jobs."
The study recommended that the market for green collar jobs be supported by affordable and reliable space to ensure growth, and resources and coordination between businesses and training programs.
The report also offers a green collar jobs model being used in developing the Oakland Green Jobs Corps which targeted men and women aged 18 to 35 years old with training and internship opportunities.
