Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer is examining the future of training workers from the City’s at-risk neighborhoods in the rapidly growing “Green Collar” jobs
sector. While attending the recent U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate
Protection Summit in Seattle, Mayor Moyer heard many speakers discuss the rapid growth of Green Industries. The sector is growing so fast, there is a critical shortage of entry-level workers.
The Mayor sees this need for workers in an expanding industry as a source of opportunity for those needing good jobs in the City,
“Unemployment is a serious problem in some City Neighborhoods. There is a real need for good jobs for low income residents,“said the Mayor.“Young people, adults
with limited skills or education, even those that have been incarcerated and are looking to get their lives back on back can all benefit from solid, living wage Green Collar jobs.”
Mayor Moyer has already met with Martha Smith, the President of the Anne Arundel Community College about the possibility of bringing some pilot Green Collar training programs to the City of Annapolis in 2008.The Mayor has also approached the Annapolis Community Foundation about raising scholarship funds for the proposed programs.
“During the conference, former President Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore
gave speeches encouraging American innovation in developing a green
economy of clean energy and improved efficiency,”said the Mayor. “Green Collar
job training will ensure that the City of Annapolis is part of that innovation and
will help our citizens benefit from this exciting new future. It will also continue our
longstanding commitment to sustaining and enhancing our environment. ” Green
Collar jobs are essentially blue collar jobs in green businesses.They are
usually manual labor jobs in businesses whose products and services directly
improve the environment. They are often well paying jobs with relatively low entry requirements.
A recent study from the City of Berkeley Office of Energy and Sustainable
Development University said, “Cultivating green collar jobs for people with barriers to employment can be an effective strategy to provide low-income men and women with access to good jobs - jobs that provide workers with meaningful, community serving work, living wages, benefits,and advancement opportunities.”
Mayor Moyer said the need for workers is growing,
“Demands for green building, green waste composting, green landscaping,
Non-toxic cleaning in residential and commercial buildings,recycling, solar
installation and overall new green technology create new workforce
opportunities everyday.”
The main reason why this is a bad idea is that the government should not assume such a role in economic distortion (or job creation if you rather), and the reason why it is the worst idea is the proposed industry of the job creation. I will provide the details in later posts.
