Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills

From LiteracyTentWiki

This discussion took place on the National Institute for Literacy Special Topics Discussion list from April 6 - April 13, 2009. The posts have been lightly edited, and content that did not pertain to the discussion, such as directions for posting or reading archives, has not been included to make the discussion more readable.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
May 29, 2009

From: DJRosen@theworld.com
Subject:[SpecialTopics 1166] Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills
Date: March 20, 2009 7:49:06 PM EDT

Colleagues,

The National Institute for Literacy’s Special Topics Discussion List will address Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills from April 6 – 10.

Adult literacy education practitioners, adult learners and those concerned about the environment will find this topic of interest. This discussion will help adult literacy practitioners to understand what new employment opportunities may exist for their students, and how to help students prepare for these “green” jobs. What exactly are “green” jobs? How many of them are there nationwide? Why are these jobs important to adult learners? What are the qualifications for these jobs? What role can adult literacy education programs play in helping students to prepare for “green” jobs? These and other questions about environmentally friendly work and adult literacy education will be addressed by our guests and by discussion participants. We hope you will join us.

Background on Discussion Guests

Alex Risley Schroeder has worked in the adult literacy and workforce development field for over twenty years. She currently works as a Green Careers Coach with adult literacy and ESOL learners and displaced and dislocated workers for the Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board in western Massachusetts. She also works with the Massachusetts Workforce Alliance on workforce development policy education and advocacy which is currently focusing on the opportunities the green economy presents. Alex has a consulting practice, Finding Earth Works, that assists ABE/GED/ESOL programs and staff and learners to consider ways to prepare for work in the green economy and to understand the environmental challenges we face. Alex worked with SABES, the adult education professional development system in Massachusetts, for a number of years. She has a M.Ed. as well as a D.Min. Her dissertation examined the opportunity for job creation for adult literacy students in green industry sectors and included the design of professional development training for ABE professionals. Last summer she helped to draft the Massachusetts Green Jobs legislation, which included funding for Pathways out of Poverty green jobs training programs.

Chris Cato is the Green Initiative Project Manager for YouthBuild USA. Chris's primary role is to support the Greening process for YouthBuild programs throughout the United States. Chris is currently assisting with the development of a "green agenda" for Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition, and has implemented demonstration and planning projects that promote building affordable Green Homes, and increase awareness of renewable energy technologies as a pathway to prepare young adults to become a part of the new green economy. Chris has over 25 years of management experience in youth and community development with a focus on environmental awareness and responsibility. Understanding that we all have an important role in relation to our environment, it has been Chris' mission to increase access to opportunities, build awareness and develop environmental leaders within low-income urban communities. Chris is a member of the Board of Directors of Eagle Eye Institute, (Eagle Eye uses the power of nature to transform urban youth) a Corporate Advisory Board member for the Trustees Of The Reservations (one of the oldest and largest private land conservation and preservation organizations) and of the United South End Settlements (a Boston based multi service non profit).

Vien Truong is the Senior Policy Associate at Green For All. She supports and collaborates with state policymakers and community leaders in the development and implementation of green jobs policies and programs in states throughout the country. She concurrently serves as the Associate Attorney for the New Business Practicum at UC Berkeley's Boalt School of Law. She is a Commissioner for the City of Oakland's Fund for Children and Youth Planning and Oversight Committee. She also serves on the board of a labor association and a local nonprofit developer. Previously, Vien was the Community Economic Justice Law Fellow at the East Bay Community Law Center, where she worked to develop innovative, long-term economic development solutions to address the systematic problems confronting low-income communities. Vien was the founding instructor for the Legal Assistance Program for Clarita Career College, a legal training program for entering legal professionals. She also taught Street Law at Castlemont High School, a program that teaches law to high school students. She has worked for a U.S. Chief Magistrate, researching and analyzing issues before the federal court. She also worked with a California State Senator, researching and developing state law. Vien holds a B.A from the University of California at Berkeley. She also holds a J.D. from the University of California at Hastings College of the Law.

Kate Davenport has spent several years working and exploring the link between natural resource management, community assets, and economic development in both the private sector and non-profit sector. As part of the EcoVentures International team, she has managed green business and green jobs development projects, including trainings and analysis of environmental business industries. She is part of the management team for a start-up environmental microenterprise providing organic waste removal and reuse services for commercial clients in the Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Atlanta area. Looking to widen her range of private sector environmental enterprise experience, Kate has also co-managed the development of an internal Member Care Center for Flexcar, a national car-sharing company in a restart-up phase and oversaw the transition of the Member Care Center during the merger with Zipcar, a national competitor. Kate has a B.A. in History and African Studies with a Minor in Child Development from Tufts University.

From: djrosen@theworld.com
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1170] Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills Discussion Begins Monday
Date: April 2, 2009 1:53:09 AM EDT

Colleagues,

Our discussion on Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills begins on Monday, April 6th. Below you will find some short online readings, recommended by two of our panelists, that will help you to prepare for the discussion. Please begin to send your questions now. I will post them when the discussion begins next week. I will also be posting some announcements that have recently been sent to the Special Topics Discussion List that you may find of interest.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen@theworld.com

Recommended Readings

Overview on green economy and jobs

Environmental Defense Fund put together a comprehensive list of clean, green economy jobs in California. Even though it is only one state, California, it provides some of the most detailed information on jobs and training needed

  • Environmental Defense Fund’s Green Jobs Guidebook: employment opportunities in the new clean economy, http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentid=8466&redirect=cagreenjobs pages 6 – 11 (pages 7 – 11 are charts detailing industry sectors, job titles) Subsequent pages provide information on training and education needed, related work, kind of employer, etc)
  • Greenbiz.com has a great overview of what is happening in the business world in terms of green. It is important to keep track of these trends as practitioners think about green job training programs. http://www.greenbiz.com/resources#reports

On climate change – simple overview of science with good graphics (2 pages)

On renewable energy

On peak oil

Strategies for saving energy at home – useful for students and teachers!

From: DJRosen@theworld.com
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1172] Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills Discussion Begins on Monday. Your questions?
Date: April 3, 2009 7:33:14 AM EDT

Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills Colleagues,

Here are some additional background readings for next week's discussion on green jobs.

If you want to read a book, our guest, Vien Truong, suggests

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen@theworld.com

From: DJRosen@theworld.com
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1173] Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills Discussion Beginning Today
Date: April 6, 2009 6:36:55 AM EDT

Colleagues,

Welcome to the discussion this week on Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills. Our guests are Alex Risley Schroeder, Kate Davenport, Vien Truong and Chris Cato. You will find background information about each of them at http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/specialtopics/09green.html I have asked our guests to each post an introductory message identifying some of the key issues and putting them in the context of their own work.

We have over 30 questions now, and I hope there will be more to come. The questions so far suggest some sub topics, so I'd like to break the week up to focus on these. Here's a schedule, and the questions that have been posted so far. If you sent a question but don't see it included in this list, please send it again. All the questions should be emailed to specialtopics@nifl.gov Your questions, comments and perspectives on Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills are welcome throughout this discussion.

MONDAY

What are Green Jobs and what kinds are available? What’s the Green Jobs outlook, especially for adult basic skills students? What “Green" fields and "Green Jobs" do you recommend in particular for adult basic skills students? What are the job requirements and job descriptions for these jobs?

  1. What kinds of jobs will be available in the green industries?
  2. What kinds of skills will be needed for these jobs?
  3. Are there areas more immediately profitable for our students? Weatherization training? Energy audit training? How advanced are these trainings?
  4. Would you share job descriptions, with a focus on the qualifications required?
  5. Can you provide an hourly or salary pay range for these jobs?
  6. What impact will the emergence of Green Jobs have on the Occupational Outlook Handbook (and O*NET) demand and salary projections?
  7. What is the outlook for job growth in the green economy in Massachusetts? States like California have a huge green investment and infrastructure (as well as a different geography!!). Is it likely the green sector will introduce and sustain many new jobs?
  8. What specific green job openings are there in the Greater Boston Area?
  9. I am an adult education instructor in a rural county of North Georgia. The technical college for my county has recently merged with 2 other technical colleges based in north metro Atlanta. My question is actually two-fold: Considering the recent unemployment rates, what are the recommended fields for the retraining of individuals previously employed in industries such as carpet mills and light industrial manufacturing and those in the construction field. In addition, what would be the best field for initial training of individuals, such as recent high school graduates and GED graduates, new to this job market?
  10. According to the Maryland Green Economic Recovery Program, it appears that the majority of the jobs will require a high school diploma. For our students in the lower levels who are not at that point - will there be jobs for them while they continue to work toward their diploma?
  11. Where can I find a listing of average hourly wage rates and education requirements for certain Green Jobs? The District of Columbia has a Green Job focused summer internship program, and I’d like to create a list of jobs along with, skill requirements, education requirements and average hourly wage to share with our young adults that are being introduced to this career option.
  12. I recently attended a conference session about Green Jobs, and found out that textiles is one of the four areas where Green Jobs will be created. The other three were retrofitting, fuels, and organic farming. I hadn't thought of textiles prior to this, but it does make sense. My question is in regard to outsourcing. Since few textile mills remain in the U.S., how will growth in this industry help the U.S. worker and economy?

TUESDAY

Green Jobs community partnerships

  1. I am a member of a community organizing group whose focus is on brownfields and jobs, most particularly creating “green” jobs either through training folks for brownfields cleanup, or by developing solar power installations in the community. Since we're not an agency per se I imagine we'd need to partner with a not for profit community-based adult education agency and/or a community college to help make this happen, not to mention tapping into funding streams. What are the partnerships that work?
  2. Are there areas more immediately profitable for our students? Weatherization training? Energy audit training? How advanced are these trainings? Who can link up with ABE/ESOL programs to make this work?

Green Jobs and community service

  1. How can Green Jobs training and basic skills education be best integrated into community service or community development, so that people training for and working in these jobs provide a useful community service?

WEDNESDAY

Green Jobs training program models

  1. Is there anything inherent in Green Jobs that job training skills providers need to think about as they design training programs for them? From a job training perspective, is it just a question of “adding on” a small set of “green” competencies (knowledge and skills) on top of existing training, or are there cases where new training for Green jobs needs to be designed from scratch?
  2. Do you know of any good program models, or examples of Green Jobs training that includes basic skills?
  3. Our community college (like many other adult education and workforce development agencies) is interested in the question of how to link our services to Green Jobs. We've prepared a concept paper on how we might work with other partner agencies to create a “Green Workforce Service” for our county. We'd like to create several career pathway programs (similar to the I-BEST model in Washington State) which help lower-income individuals (including US-born youth and adults, immigrants, ex-offenders, and others) move into jobs in such areas as energy conservation (e.g., energy auditor, weatherization specialist, electronic building controls), energy generation (e.g., solar), recycling, urban forestry, environmental clean-up, and alternative transportation (e.g., bicycles). Questions for the panelists:
    • Can you describe successful models of “green” career pathway programs geared to lower-income, lower-skilled adults and out-of-youth?
    • How might such programs incorporate
      • the Equipped for the Future standards,
      • educational technologies, and
      • other promising adult education practices?
    • What employer and union partners might we be reaching out to when creating such programs?

THURSDAY

Green Jobs training curricula

  1. The concept of “green” products, jobs, practices, etc. has historically been an interest of those who could afford to think past their immediate need for survival. It seems to me that before we can help students prepare for green jobs, we need to make the entire concept understandable and acceptable and attractive. While we're all waiting for more definitions of green jobs and more training opportunities and more actual jobs to appear, perhaps that could be a starting point for programs wanting to move in this direction. Any curriculum resources for ABE and ESL level classes?
  2. Has a Green curriculum been developed that prepares people for Green Jobs, which are available now or in the near future?
  3. Are there sites where we can go for developed curricula for contextualized learning activities that can be used in the classroom?
  4. How can we begin to align curriculum to the skills needed?
  5. We have discovered in our research that many jobs related to the green economy in Massachusetts (like photovoltaic installation) are highly skilled and are being filled by contractors and tradespeople who are out of work. These tradespeople are taking certifications courses and intensive boot camps to pass the necessary certification to do these jobs. Many of our students need a pre-curriculum or training to get ready for these training courses and certification courses. They don’t exist yet, to my knowledge. Do they? Are there models for them?

“Green Living” curricula

  1. In my classes and department trainings, I've added the topic “Green Living” to my agendas. I remind teachers and students to turn off lights, make fewer copies, etc. What resources are available for ESL teachers who are adding the Green Living competency to their syllabi and lesson plans?

Integration of basic skills into Green Jobs training

  1. How can basic skills best be integrated in Green jobs training for those who are highly motivated to train for these jobs but who need to improve their work-related reading, writing, numeracy, science and other basic skills?

FRIDAY

Funding and other resources for Green Jobs programs

  1. What resources are available to workplace ESL trainers who want to work with the green collar industries?
  2. It seems like there is a window of opportunity in preparing students to enter the green economy by doing preparatory work aimed at meeting training and course requirements. Is this true? And who might fund this kind of work? How might ARRA funds (both WIA money and green money) be accessed for our adult students?
  3. Will there be additional funding for adult education to enable programs to provide additional classes and teachers to develop the skill sets required for these jobs?
  4. So many of our students are out of work and unable to find jobs. How soon can we expect that the recovery will emerge?

Teacher training

  1. What additional training do adult basic education (including ESL/ESOL) teachers need to be effective in helping their students access and prepare for Green Jobs?
  2. Do workplace ESL trainers need to learn basic math, drafting, and construction terminology to be effective?

Green Jobs policy implications

  1. What are the policy implications of Green Jobs? Other than funding, do we need new safety, health, affirmative action, anti-discrimination, labor, training, and/or education policy or regulations?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen@theworld.com

From: alex@findingearthworks.org
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1174] Re: Green Jobs Discussion Sub-topics
Date: April 5, 2009 10:13:56 PM EDT

Hi, this is Alex Risley Schroeder. I'm excited to be joining this conversation. The level of interest in our field about green jobs is very high. This bodes well for the impact our field can have on ensuring inclusion of ABE/GED/ESOL learners in the unfolding workforce development dimensions of the growing green economy and the engagement of ABE/GED/ESOL learners in responding to the environmental situation we face.

I see the current conjuncture of profound environmental challenges and the need to reinvent how our economy works as (1) holding a space for creating jobs (and training for those jobs) that are truly accessible to ABE/GED/ESOL learners and (2) providing an opening for teaching with the larger context of our relationship to Earth evident throughout our curricula. Our response to this conjuncture, which some have likened to the changes brought with the Industrial Revolution, will substantially shift how we live and do business. I’m looking forward to our week long discussion and I’ve got a couple questions that I’d like to offer up.

In the short term, as the ARRA monies begin to arrive, we're still watching to see how the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries will shape up. Let’s use this time to itemize the top 5 necessary components or characteristics of a training program that is genuinely accessible to students in our programs. What components would you suggest?

In the longer term, we need to be considering how through curriculum and classroom practice we can substantially prepare our learners (and ourselves) to meet the real effects of climate change. It would be useful for us all to hear the ways you're already teaching about climate change and the greening of our economy in math, science, writing, history/social studies and reading? And, describe what support and training you need to strengthen this dimension of teaching?

Thank you to the National Institute for Literacy and David Rosen for making this conversation possible.

My best,

Alex Risley Schroeder
Principal, Finding Earth Works
413.531.8783
alex@findingearthworks.org
findingearthworks.org

Finding Earth Works
Giving adult learners a stake in the green economy.
Finding Earth Works connects adult literacy and English language students and programs to information and training about green jobs.

From: kate@eco-ventures.org
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1175] Kate Davenport's intro post
Date: April 5, 2009 11:09:06 PM EDT

I am Kate Davenport, Program Director for EcoVentures International's Green Jobs Green Business Program. I have spent several years working and exploring the link between natural resource management, community assets, and economic development in both the private sector and non-profit sector. As part of the EcoVentures International team, I have managed environmental enterprise development projects and trainings and analyzed opportunities for environmental business industries. I am also a part of the management team for a start-up environmental microenterprise providing organic waste removal and reuse services for commercial clients in the Washington DC and Philadelphia area. I have also co-managed the development of an internal Member Care Center for Flexcar, a national car-sharing company in a restart-up phase and oversaw the transition of the Member Care Center during the merger with Zipcar, a national competitor.

At EcoVentures International, we have been working on the Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington State, Washington DC, and Western New York on our Building Sustainable Rural Communities through Green Business Project. We run trainings to empower micro and small businesses and small business development organizations, including farmers, with the skills and knowledge to enter into growing green sectors such as construction, local food, and hospitality.

A key aspect to identifying and understand where green jobs and small green business opportunities exist is regional market assessments. The team here at EcoVentures International has done a lot of research and networking with industries that are going green, such as construction, hospitality, and local food. Specifically, we have been working with some of the larger and medium sized businesses in those industries to understand their demand for green products and services, which relate to green jobs and small businesses that can be service providers. So for example, many hotels and restaurants are joining the Green and Sustainable Tourism Movement. In particular Delaware and Virginia have both launched Green Hotel and Lodging Programs. To be a part of these programs, hotels and restaurants must adhere to a checklist of green practices. These checklists include buying local food, using chemical free cleaning products, recycling waste, and implementing energy efficiency measures (to mention a few). We identify how small businesses can provide the products and services needed to adhere to those checklist items. For example, many restaurants and hotels want to buy local, sustainable food but they do not have the network with farmers to buy such. Another example would be in the construction industry, there has been a movement for building to be built and retrofitted green. Many of the architects and engineers know the methods and tools to help a building go green. However, many of the small contractors, including plumbers and electricians, are not aware of this growing market trend and thus are not capitalizing on this new demand for services that is starting to go mainstream. We help to connect those small-scale construction businesses to the training and tools to help link into this new demand. A key piece for workforce training programs at all education levels is first doing a market assessment to understand where the demand is.

In general, many of the green jobs will be in construction, local food, and specifically energy efficiency. Make sure to create and maintain relationships with community colleges and local economic development agencies, through which much of the training money from the stimulus package will flow. Many community colleges are forming green jobs trainings programs right now as they are just receiving or about to receive funds. Community colleges are looking for input and advice about how to develop these programs, so definitely try and get on their radar in terms of the needs of your clients. Start talking to larger employers and industry players up supply chains to see where their demand exists.

The demand for green jobs is going to fluctuate by region. In general, there is going to be demand for energy auditors, and this will require individuals to have the necessary certifications required by the state energy administration, the typical state agency overseeing energy efficiency programs for individuals and businesses. Many states are requiring Building Performance Institute (BPI) training, and some states such as New York are providing grants to small contractors to receive this training. My discussions with energy auditors shows that there is some money to be made in auditing but most of the opportunity exists in the implementation of the work recommended by the auditors. This work can be performed by those in traditional construction jobs, but will require some training and awareness unless the construction contractor already has experience in blowing insulation etc.

There are green jobs coming about but it is important to understand the industries which are going green and to have access to market assessments that look at the effects up and down the supply chain.

A second key area to look is green cleaning. Although there may not be as many tax credit and grants flowing to end-consumers and businesses for implementing green cleaning practices, it is a shift that is coming into place through a combination of regulation and consumer pressure. For example, Maryland is instituting a ban on all cleaning products with phosphates by 20010. So, it is important for employees involved in cleaning to understand the concepts of green cleaning, which often relates to changing products and understanding safe level of concentrates to use.

A third area to key an eye on is local food production and local food distribution and transportation. So for example, local food transportation would require basic skills such as a commercial drivers license. But again, it is important to have access to a market assessment to reveal that this is a sector growing in your area.

I assume there are many specific questions to come. I look forward to the discussion and providing more resources.

Kate Davenport
Program Associate
EcoVentures International
1519 Connecticut Ave, NW
Suite 301
Washington DC 20036
Phone: +1-202-667-0802
Email: kate@eco-ventures.org

Continue on to Green Jobs and Adult Basic Skills 2
Go back to AleWorkforceDevelopment

Retrieved from "http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Green_Jobs_and_Adult_Basic_Skills"