These elements are all found in the most successful job training programs in the green and clean-energy sectors. California has already developed great programs and partnerships that can be leveraged for Prop. Apprenticeship trains workers in broad occupational skills that allow them to learn the latest new technologies as needed. It also provides wage increases as workers acquire skills.įinally, employ existing infrastructure and partnerships to boost both the training and the retrofit programs. Third, fund entry-level training programs that are linked to proven, highly effective state-approved apprenticeships. Since about two-thirds of Proposition 39 jobs will be in the construction trades occupations, linkage with apprenticeship programs creates real job pipelines into middle-class, skilled construction careers. Second, require strong qualifications for the contractors who participate in the retrofits alongside strong skill standards for their workers. Standards will insure high quality work and send clear signals to workers and training institutions about what skills employers will look for. This will avoid the problem of some previous green jobs programs, where jobs projections were overly optimistic and graduates of training programs could not be placed in jobs. I’ve been studying the green jobs sector since its early days, and my research and observations suggest some important recommendations.įirst, spend the bulk of funding on job-creating energy retrofits, and match training investments to the number of jobs that trainees can actually be placed in.
But if the measure is going to deliver on its promises of carbon reduction, healthier schools and neighborhoods, long-term career opportunities and a timely economic boost for communities that need it the most, the proposition needs to be implemented right. School facilities are the primary target of Proposition 39 retrofitting efforts. Now state policymakers are making critical decisions as they craft the guidelines for this massive new investment. When Californians passed Proposition 39 last year, they voted for more carbon reduction, school improvements and jobs – all through a five-year, $2.5 billion program using revenues from newly closed tax loopholes to pay for investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. It’s time for California, long a leader in green energy investment, to take another big step forward on the environment and job creation.