California's Employment Development Department (EDD) recently released a tally of green jobs in the state. The total? Nearly half a million workers spend at least half or part of their time on green products or services, according to the first-of-its-kind survey of 15,500 employers. The goal of the study was to establish baselines of green employment and green business practices in California.
Jobs considered green are those that are categorized using the GREEN model:
- Generating and restoring renewable energy
- Recycling existing materials
- Energy efficient product manufacturing, distribution, construction, installation and maintenance
- Education, compliance and awareness
- Natural and sustainable product manufacturing
Top green employers are in recycling (25%), energy efficiency (24%) and sustainable product manufacturing (22%). Within these categories, manufacturing and construction industries have the most green jobs. This is a bright spot in sectors that have taken a hit during the recession.
Thanks to groundbreaking measures such as California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act, companies have been able to maintain and grow their green workforce during the recession, even in industries that have suffered nationally.
Industries with Most Green Jobs in California (as of 4/2010)
Southern California stands out as the regional green jobs leader. It accounts for nearly half of California’s total green employment, followed closely by the San Francisco Bay Area, which boasts more than 130,000 green jobs. The rest of California’s green jobs are spread throughout the state's remaining seven regions. Although the type and number of green workers vary greatly by region, this latest study confirms that California has the largest green economy in the country.
Another key finding: 63% of businesses surveyed use at least one sustainable business practice. A total of 80% recycle, 50% use recycled products and nearly 40% use energy efficiency practices. It is safe to say that California businesses understand that good environmental strategy is good for their bottom line.
On-the-job training is the method most often used (75%) by companies to prepare workers for green jobs, with in-house classroom training coming in second. Others use training programs offered at community colleges or by vendors.
For workers who are interested in joining California's growing green economy, we recommend a few simple steps to get started. First, look at industry market trends to identify existing and future opportunities. Based on this survey, the top three areas of green expertise for which firms are expected to be hiring for in the near future are waste minimization, energy conservation and information technology. The survey also breaks down job types by region, which can be used to focus a job search based on where the most opportunities are.
Second, research available off-the-job training programs. The largest state-sponsored one is The California Clean Energy Workforce Training Program, which has a website with links to valuable resources. Green for All also has a web site with links to green jobs listings.
EDF will soon launch an online green jobs portal to help connect job seekers to training in these and other areas of expertise. Featuring a searchable green jobs training map, a digitized version of our Green Jobs Guidebook, and in-depth profiles of real people working in California’s green industry, EDF’s portal will help job seekers plot their green career path. This is the latest addition to EDF's mapping of the green economy in California that shows how 2000+ companies are benefiting from the state's leadership on fighting climate change and transitioning to a clean energy economy.
California has the largest green economy in the country. In a period when unemployment is up to nearly 10% nationwide and many local jobs are going overseas, this survey confirms that California is reaping the economic benefits of strong energy and climate policies.