Green Career Central Blog

Carol McClelland Appears on Bob Woodruff's Focus Earth TV Newscast

When we were at the Bay Area Green Dream Job Event sponsored by the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, Carol was interviewed by a segment producer for Focus Earth. This eco-newscast, anchored by ABC News' Bob Woodruff, covers stories ranging from climate impact, environmental policy, relevant political and world events.

The event was sold out; at least 50 people were turned away at the door. Those who made it into the event listened to a panel talking about the state of green jobs and collected information about green jobs and the green economy from 25-30 organizations including employers, schools, non profits, and recruiters. A steady stream of interested green career seekers stopped by to ask us questions at the Green Career Central table.

The segment, Going Green to Make Green, aired on the Planet Green cable channel on January 31 and February 1, 2009. You can see the entire interview or read the transcript of the story. Carol shows up at 2:18 minutes remaining and then again at 50 seconds remaining.

Leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Find Your Green Career Niche Workshop: Get Clear. Get Focused. Get Results.

In this workshop sponsored by Solar Living Institute, Carol McClelland, PhD, author of "Your Dream Career For Dummies" and founder of GreenCareerCentral.com and Rebecca Kieler of Kieler Career Consulting, guide you through a step-by-step process to discover how to use your passions, interests, experience, and training to plug into the green economy.

Using a process that has helped thousands of career changers identify their passions, you will:

• Identify your top forty favorite skills and interests
• Brainstorm over forty green career options based on your skills and interests
• Pull out your top ten career ideas
• Synthesize what you discover into a clear statement about your green niche
• Develop a plan to clarify, strengthen, and verify your green career goal.

This workshop uses a combination of personal exercises, group brainstorming sessions, and personal laser coaching to guide you to discover your passions and articulate your niche within the green economy.

With clarity about your green niche, your job search will become focused.

• You'll know exactly which resources align with your future direction.
• You'll know what to read, what classes to take, what conferences to attend, and what networking/professional groups will give you the information and support you need.
• Your conversations with contacts will produce meaningful leads.
• Your network will be excited to connect you with their contacts because they feel your passion and they understand exactly what you want to do next.
• No matter who you are talking to, you will speak with more confidence, clarity, and commitment than ever before.
• Decision-makers will detect your enthusiasm for their position and your dedication to the green economy.

This workshop is best suited for people who have a work history or volunteer experience, a variety of interests, and a desire to find work they love in the green economy.

Date:          March 7, 2009

Time:         9 am - 5 pm

Location:   The Green Building Exchange

                  1 Chestnut Avenue
                  South San Francisco CA 94080

Price:         $150.00

Register with Solar Living Institute

Green for All Urges Senate to Pass Stimulus and Green Jobs Act

In an email from Green For All, the organization led by Van Jones, they congratulate those that urged the House of Representatives to add green projects to the Obama stimulus bill.  Now they are urging the public to contact their Senators and encourage them to fully support the Green Jobs Act. 

Tell your Senators to get on board!

Here are three things we think you'll be especially excited about in President Obama's economic recovery plan:

1.  GREEN JOBS ACT: $500 Million
In 2007, Green For All and our allies got the Green Jobs Act signed into law. The Act authorizes federal support for green-collar job-training programs. But last year, Congress failed to appropriate the money. Now, President Obama and the House want to invest $500 million in these programs.

But the Senate wants to create a grant program at half that amount, and divide this smaller pie into smaller pieces - by directing the funds to train workers in various industries (not just green ones).

With the support of the President and the House, full funding for the Green Jobs Act finally is within sight. But we need your help to move the Senate.


Tell your Senators to fund the Green Jobs Act at $500 million.



2.  WEATHERIZATION: $6.2 Billion
President Obama's recovery package contains the largest weatherization investment in history, as well as funding for a number of other programs that will increase the energy efficiency of America's buildings. Upgrading our buildings so that they protect us better from the weather means we can spend less energy heating and cooling them.

This is the single biggest thing we can do right now to stop global warming. Nothing in the country uses as much energy as our buildings - not even our transportation. And weatherizing won't just save lots of energy and reduce greenhouse gases - it will also create a ton of new green-collar jobs!

3.  DOUBLING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Efficiency is only part of the solution. We also need to replace the fossil fuels we're burning with renewable energy. The recovery plan is part of that, with plans to double our capacity to generate renewable energy in just three years. Another big job engine!

This would NOT be happening without you, the folks in Green For All's community and network. And I don't just mean the e-mails you've sent to Congress about the stimulus. You have set the terms of the debate on energy and green-collar jobs over the past year. Since the beginning of the Presidential primary season, you have made sure that these issues were at the center of national politics. Now, they are at the center of the biggest economic stimulus package in U.S. history.

But this is just the beginning.

We need to make the Senate see the light on Green Jobs Act funding. The Senate still has to vote on the package, with Republicans already threatening to block it. And even if it gets through Congress largely intact, we will still have to make sure that the money in the package gets to the best programs and businesses in each of our communities.

First thing's first:

 

Tell your Senators to fund the Green Jobs Act at $500 million.

Let's celebrate the green stimulus you helped make happen! And keep pushing until President Obama signs it into law.

If you would like to see more green jobs and careers, take the action specified above.

Green Career Trends: Wind Energy Jobs Surpass Coal Jobs, Job Growth in Energy Efficiency Retrofits, California Grew Green Jobs Between 2005 - 2007

Even with the economic downturn in the last quarter of 2008, the wind energy business had quite a year.  According to a report from the American Wind Energy Association, the number of wind energy jobs surpassed the number of coal energy jobs, 85,000 to 81,000.  The location of many of the new turbines are in the wind belt section of the Midwest, west Texas and the West Coast.  Iowa has overtaken California in amount of megawatts generated to occupy second place behind Texas.  As wind power grows, so will the manufacturing jobs needed to fill orders. 

The Obama stimulus package recently passed by the House contains $3.5 billion to assist states, local governments and Indian tribes to conserve energy.  A portion of the money is to be used to perform energy efficiency retrofits, develop and implement building codes and inspection services.  Architecture 2030 has a report about how construction in the private sector can be stimulated to create nine million jobs in two years.  The demand for building and construction materials could provide an opportunity for green products to take off.

More than 3 billion dollars was invested into California clean-tech companies in 2008 by venture capitalists and other investors.  This confidence in the future of the state may have been based on statistics from prior years.  Between 2005 and 2007 California added green jobs at a faster rate than non green jobs according to a recent report.  While some portions of the green economy are experiencing the same downturn as the rest of the economy, California green and clean tech companies may be well positioned to take off ahead of the rest of the country as the economy recovers.

Green Career Tip - Finding the People You Need to Know in the Green Economy - Part 1

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “It’s all in who you know.”

How are you doing building a green network in your area?

Are you struggling to find a way to tap into the green movement in your area? Are you afraid one doesn’t exist—that you are all alone in your green values and goals?

Although it’s true that it’s easier to connect with green causes in certain areas of the country, don’t make the assumption that it’s impossible to connect with others interested in global warming issues.

In this Green Career Tip of the Week, you’ll find four ways to tap into the green movement in your region. (In next week’s Green Career Tip of the Week, I’ll give you several networking groups you can join to expand your network.)

Read this week's tip to discover these four resources and more information.

Green Portions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The US House of Representatives will be voting soon on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Below are the green portions of this bill.

• Efficient and reliable public transportation is vital in the effort to reduce our nation's dependence on fossil fuels and reduce our carbon emissions. The legislation will invest $1 billion in capital investment grants for new commuter or light rail systems. An additional $2 billion will be used to modernize existing transit systems, including renovations to stations, security systems, equipment, and communications. Finally, $6 billion will be directed through existing formulas for transit capital assistance to purchase buses and equipment needed to increase public transportation.

• Cleaner energy sources are needed to move our transportation sector away from its petroleum dependence. The Transportation Electrification program will receive $200 million for grants to states, local governments, and metropolitan transportation authorities for qualified electric transportation projects that reduce emissions. This will include, but not be limited to electrification of: Shipside vehicles, truck stops, airport ground support equipment, and cargo handling equipment. The bill also includes $2 billion for the Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee and Grants Program to support U.S. manufacturers of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems. America should lead the world in transforming the way automobiles are powered.

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research: $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities to foster energy independence, reduce carbon emissions, and cut utility bills. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to universities, companies, and national laboratories.

• Enhanced Research and Development (R&D) Credit: The bill would provide for an enhanced 20% R&D credit in taxable years beginning in 2009 and 2010 for research expenditures incurred in the fields of fuel cells, battery technology, renewable energy, energy conservation technology, efficient transmission and distribution of electricity, and carbon capture and sequestration.

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research: $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities to foster energy independence, reduce carbon emissions, and cut utility bills. Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to universities, companies, and national laboratories.

• Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants: $3.5 billion to assist states, local governments and Indian tribes in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Activities eligible for funding include: implementing programs to conserve energy used in transportation; grants to non-profits organizations to perform energy efficiency retrofits; developing and implementing building codes and inspection services to promote building energy efficiency.

• Smart Grid Investment Program: $4.5 billion to provide for research and development, pilot projects, and federal matching funds for the Smart Grid Investment Program. This investment will help meet the goal of a modern electric grid, enhance security and reliability of energy infrastructure, and facilitate recovery from disruptions to the energy supply. The Smart Grid Investment Program includes a regional demonstration initiative and a matching grant program which would provide grants for qualifying smart grid investments.

• Advanced Battery Loans and Grants: $2 billion for the Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee and Grants Program to support U.S. manufacturers of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems. America should lead the world in transforming the way automobiles are powered.

• Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds: $2.4 billion of qualified energy conservation bonds to finance state, municipal and tribal government programs and initiatives designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill would also clarify that qualified energy conservation bonds may be issued to make loans and grants for capital expenditures to implement green community programs.

• Cleaning Fossil Energy: $2.4 billion for carbon capture and sequestration technology demonstration projects. This funding will provide valuable information necessary to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from industrial facilities and fossil fuel power plants.

• Grants to Institutional Entities for Energy Sustainability and Efficiency: $1 billion in grants to institutional entities to identify, design, and implement sustainable energy infrastructure projects. The term institution includes: institutions of higher education; public school districts; local governments; municipal utilities.

• Temporary Ability to Claim Investment Tax Credit in Lieu of the Production Tax Credit: Under current law, facilities that produce electricity from solar facilities are eligible to take a thirty percent (30%) investment tax credit in the year the facility is placed in service. Because of current market conditions, it is difficult for many renewable projects to find financing due to the uncertain future tax positions of potential investors in these projects. The bill would allow facilities that are placed-in-service in 2009 and 2010 to elect to claim the investment tax credit in lieu of the production tax credit.

• Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension: The bill would extend the placed-in-service date for wind facilities for three years (through December 31, 2012). The bill would also extend the placed-in-service date for three years (through December 31, 2013) for certain other qualifying facilities including: closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, geothermal, small irrigation, hydropower, landfill gas, waste-to-energy, and marine renewable facilities.

• Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program and Energy Star: $300 million in rebates for residential consumers for the purchase of residential Energy Star products to replace used appliances with more efficient models. Approximately 15 states have appliance rebate programs currently operating to incentivize the purchase of energy efficient appliances. This program would add federal funds to increase the effectiveness of these programs and to encourage the remaining states to adopt similar programs.

• Clean Renewable Energy Bonds ("CREBs"): $1.6 billion of new clean renewable energy bonds to finance facilities that generate electricity from the following resources: wind, closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, geothermal, small irrigation, hydropower, landfill gas, marine renewable, and trash combustion facilities. This $1.6 billion authorization will be subdivided into thirds: 1/3 will be available for qualifying projects of state/local/tribal governments; 1/3 for qualifying projects of public power providers; and 1/3 for qualifying projects of electric cooperatives.

• Enhanced Research and Development (R&D) Credit: The bill would provide for an enhanced twenty percent (20%) R&D credit in taxable years beginning in 2009 and 2010 for research expenditures incurred in the fields of fuel cells, battery technology, renewable energy, energy conservation technology, efficient transmission and distribution of electricity, and carbon capture and sequestration.

• State Energy Program: $3.4 billion for the State Energy Program for distribution by formula to all states in order to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy objectives. This funding will provide resources for activities in state energy offices for initiatives such as residential, commercial and governmental building energy efficiency retrofits.

• Weatherization Assistance Program: This program is designed to assist low-income families reduce their energy costs by directing funds to states to weatherize low-income homes. The eligibility for this program is expanded by increasing the maximum income from 150 percent to 200 percent of the poverty level and the allowable level of investment per home from $3,055 to $5,000 to achieve greater energy savings. On average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 32 percent and overall energy bills by $358 per year per home at current prices.

Economists from the entire spectrum have been heard by Congress and told them that in the short term this legislative package will prevent the loss of millions of jobs, and in the long term provide the needed investments to spur innovation.

Let your member of Congress know how you want them to vote on this bill.

Find your member of Congress here.

Bay Area Green Dream Job Event

On Monday the 30th of January, the Commwealth Club of San Francisco will be holding an event entitled "Getting Your Green Dream Job".  The event will be held at the Commonwealth Club office in San Francisco from 6pm until 8:30 pm.  Featured speakers include:  Nick Ellis ,CEO, Bright Green Talent Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact, Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners, Peter Beadle, CEO, Green Jobs and Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com; Author, Strategies for the Green Economy - Moderator.  (Check with the Commonwealth Club about tickets, their  website indicates the event is sold out)

Green Career Trends: A Pivotal Moment, Solar Companies Hurting, Innovation Continues

In a new video from the Executive Director of Sightline, Alan Durning, sees the current moment of economic struggle and the new Obama administration as a pivotal moment not only for the creation of green jobs, but for advancing sustainability as a whole.

While the long term prognosis for sustainability and renewable energy may be bright, some solar companies are struggling with the current credit crunch and governmental tax breaks.  Solar City the nations largest home PV sloar installer is feeling the slowdown.  Even T. Boone Pickens has had to delay development of his wind farm.

Even with the economic slowdown, innovation continues.  Will farmers use lasers to water their crops?  Will trash provide electricty to schools, hospitals, airports and other large  buildings?   Will wind turbine blades be manufactured from composites or steel?  GE is betting on composites.

Green Career Tip - Four Questions Not to Ask Your Green Career Contacts

As you launch your quest for a green career, you’ll be asking your network a number of questions.

Unfortunately, a lot of the questions you may be tempted to ask are exactly the wrong ones to ask.

1. “I want a green career. What do you think I can do with my background?”
2. “What classes or degree will help me prepare for a green career?”
3. “What are the hot jobs in the green economy?”
4. “What green companies are hiring?”

The problem with the questions listed below is that they have the potential to sabotage your network’s impression of you and your career plans.

If you want to show your contacts that you are professional, motivated, and determined, read this week's tip.

Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo

The incoming Obama administration has made creating new green jobs a high priority, the renewable energy sector may be seeing job growth in the new year.  If you would like to know more about the wide variety of industries within this sector as well as business strategies and policy decisions, you may be interested in attending the Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo on March 10-12 in Las Vegas Nevada.  

Covering a wide range of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass, hydro, geothermal, ocean/tidal/wave, bio-power, bio-fuels hydrogen, this conference offers networking, new business negotiation and the exchange of important ideas and information impacting the renewable energy industry.

Even if you can't attend the conference, take some time to review the conference web site.

• What trends can you identify?
• What players do you want to keep track of?
• What companies are worth paying attention to?
• What organizations are playing a role in the conference? Would it be worth joining any of them or at least signing up for their newsletters?