Saturday, September 5, 2009

GREEN LIVING: Green Careers Require Local Commitment

By Elizabeth D Nichols

To transition to a greener economy with green careers, local level participation and collaboration is vital. According to the U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, just throwing jobs out there does not get anything done; a mix of services must be provided to make sure that there is a workforce prepared to take on these jobs. Therefore, it is important to consider the local level when developing green careers to fuel the green economy.

The U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and other authors of the Green Jobs Act of 2007 have acknowledged that for effective use of the monies from the Stimulus Package and the Green Jobs Act local level coordination is crucial. This includes assessment of need, training curriculum of those coming in new to green technologies, assessment of readiness for individual candidates, job openings awaiting the trained candidates, social services to enable these workers to connect to transportation, child care, and other resources needed to make the work experience and transition successful.

Local agencies who applied for money under the Green Jobs Act had more success when they could demonstrate coordinated group participation in the process of building green careers among many of the stake holders. This carries over to the coordinated Stimulus Package funding which provides funding extension to many existing national and state job training and job readiness programs to supply the green economy with the skilled workforce need to progress quickly.

The three favored job categories are green jobs, emergency services, and jobs within the health field. The job training programs specifically authorized within the Recovery Act that will help prepare Americans for jobs in renewable energy, environmental protection, and green building trades are AmeriCorps State and National Recover Act Assistance, Department of Labor Employment and Family Services Job Corps Centers, Department of Labor Workforce Investment Act, and the Housing and Urban Development Tribal Governments.

AmeriCorps current grantees are eligible to apply for additional funding. The AmeriCorps personnel scope includes construction and rehabilitation of housing and other buildings. Fifteen percent of the $250 million dollars allotted for the Dept. of Labor Employment and Family Services Job Corps Centers can be used towards training programs for careers in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and environmental protection.

Additionally, funding made available through the Green Jobs Recovery Act may be continued. Almost $4 billion dollars has been earmarked for the Workforce Investment Act which provides training and employment services to youth, displaced workers, and older adults. Money has also been set aside to train tribal members in skills associated in building trades such as pipe-fitting and plumbing through the Housing and Urban Development Tribal Governments Act.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Solis uses her current position to showcase exemplary community partnerships throughout the country that are implementing environmental career training programs through the Green Jobs Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). She further states that the ARRA is all about putting people back to work and creating new jobs to help the U.S. work its way out of recession. The collaboration among existing programs and creating the new locally controlled green economy will help us to build green careers needed to further create and sustain our energy independence.

Elizabeth Nichols is Content Manager for the Green Research Council at http://www.greenresearchcouncil.org, which is a research and advocacy group with a mission to provide empowering information and to be at the cutting edge of green technology, environmental sustainability and energy conservation issues.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_D_Nichols
http://EzineArticles.com/?Green-Careers-Require-Local-Commitment&id=2789653

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