What Skills are Needed for Green Jobs?

A report released by the Center for American Progress indicates that millions of U.S. workers across a variety of occupations have the necessary skills needed to transition into a green economy. The transformation of the U.S. into a green economy will benefit all as it helps defeat global warming and also generates new jobs. The six green strategies the Center for American Progress examined were: building retrofitting, mass transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels. They found that the vast majority of jobs associated with these six green strategies are in the same areas of employment that people already work in today. For example, constructing wind farms creates jobs for sheet metal workers, machinists and truck drivers, among many others. Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings through retrofitting relies, among others, on roofers, insulators, and building inspectors. What makes these entirely familiar occupations "green jobs" is that the people working in them are contributing their everyday labors toward building a green economy. Making homes and offices more energy efficient not only saves money and energy, but also represents opportunities to train individuals to perform these evaluations and make the necessary recommendations. With the right training green jobs can be made available to everyone entering or currently in the workforce.