South By North Strategies, Ltd.

A Policy Brief from The Working Poor Families Project offers a framework  for understanding how state policies and practices can create a demand for “clean energy” jobs and a supply of appropriately skilled workers.

In fact, several states are taking a leadership role in reducing barriers that low-income, low-skilled adults face in enhancing their education and skills and obtaining career-path jobs, family sustaining wages, and benefits within the clean energy sector. By and large, states are seeking to adapt existing workforce development policies and promising practices to clean energy, rather than inventing new strategies to address the sector’s needs.
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… these states have sought to implement programmatic and policy actions that incorporate the clean energy sector into existing successful skills development and employment strategies, such as industry sector partnerships, bridge programs, and apprenticeship prep programs. in addition, states have connected clean energy skills development programs to existing education and workforce systems in an effort to build capacity and available resources. States also have leveraged innovative funding sources as another step to ensure sustainability of skills development programs. Finally … states also have taken measures to improve the quality of jobs and the commitment of employers to hire low-income adults and other disadvantaged individuals. it is time for other states to follow suit.