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Green Jobs

Green Job Training and Placement
Incorporating environmental considerations into economic development activities is becoming increasingly widespread contributing to a major expansion of what is known as the green economy. With a long history of work in economic development, job training and environmental planning, regional councils are seeking ways to build their green economies, including training and placing workers in existing and emerging green occupations.

The April 2010 report, Measuring the Green Economy, conducted by the Department of Commerce, found the green economy currently hosts approximatelya 2.4 million positions of employment, and its momentum is building. Industries in the fields of clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other environmentally sustainable positions are receiving increased attention, opening the doors of employment to researchers, scientists, engineers, electricians, landscapers, builders, roofers, technicians, factory workers and white-collar professionals alike. For more information on the green economy, please visit www.GreenRegions.org.

National Demonstration Project

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NARC, in partnership with ICF Macro and Monster Worldwide, received a Pathways Out of Poverty grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to develop on-the-ground strategies in four regions to train and place workers in green jobs and career pathways. This American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded two-year project aims to support “programs that help disadvantaged populations find ways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.”  

NARC, together with its national and regional partners, is working to provide training, certification and nationally recognized credentials and apprenticeship programs, as well as retention support services, to un- and underemployed individuals in four regions in Arizona, Texas and Ohio, to facilitate their transition into jobs in the weatherization and energy-efficient building sector; renewable energy (solar and wind); and deconstruction and materials reuse industries. Through this project, the NARC team will:

  • Evaluate green job opportunities in demonstration regions;
  • Recruit potential workers in target groups for training in the green economy;
  • Establish training programs in specific green trades in tandem with local community colleges that help workers secure portable green jobs credentials;
  • Construct green jobs web portals in each region – to facilitate communication between employees and potential employers; and
  • Share lessons from these demonstration efforts with regions across the country.

For more information about the project, please see:

For information about project partners, please see:


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