Green Workforce Development

Beyond the easily transferable skills that derive from existing talent built upon Arizona’s semiconductor market, programs are already underway to cultivate the workforce within the renewable industry for years to come. Arizona State University, for example, is home to the world’s first school of sustainability as well as renowned solar power and photovoltaic testing laboratories.

The Maricopa County Community Colleges District is one of the largest providers of higher education in the United States. It encompasses 10, individually accredited colleges, two skill centers and numerous education centers. Together, it offers 23 programs dedicated specifically for renewable energy education and training – this does not include the complementary programs it offers in the areas of construction/building, environmental sciences and transportation. In 2006, it began The Maricopa Sustainability Initiative, a cross-disciplinary program geared to prepare students for the social, environmental and economic issues that face us today.

Additionally, programs like Arizona Opportunity Industrialization Center’s Pathways program provides training and job placement for individuals seeking careers in the energy efficient and renewable electric power industries. Arizona Women’s Education and Employment, Inc. launched a project designed to train workers in green employment, including solar installers. Notably, the US Department of Labor awarded a $6 million grant coined the State Energy Sector Partnership and Training grant to develop and retrain a workforce with new green energy skills. So far, this grant has helped arm approximately 4,000 Arizonans with a cleantech skill set, including energy-efficient building, green construction, renewable energy, Smart Grid, solar and thermal power.