Training for green collar jobs
Along with the looming exodus of baby boomers, another current trend affecting the electric power industry is the increasing use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. A companion trend is the growing attention to energy efficiency. Utilities need to be forward-thinking in their training in order to ensure that their new employees will have the skills to succeed in these areas.
According to Rosengren, PSEG is now adapting a program to prepare students for the “green” workforce. In September 2008, a 101-level course called Alternative Energy Sources will be added to the curriculum at Mercer County Community College. This course will help students understand the green economy and expose them to green industries, such as those deploying energy-efficiency strategies and the full range of renewable energy technologies. By January 2009, PSEG plans to further expand the curriculum with courses to prepare students for specific green jobs. PSEG also intends make its green curriculum available for use at colleges or high schools nationwide in an effort to increase students’ exposure to the green economy.
This program was the first to partner with colleges to offer in-class instruction, internships, and hands-on training in utility work. It was designed specifically to meet the needs of this industry and PSEG, according to Rosengren. The green program has worked, and PSEG is committed to helping other electric utilities replicate its success. PSEG has actively shared information, conducted program tours, and made students available to share their stories with representatives from other electric companies.
“The challenge we face in terms of hiring these entry-level employees, simply put, is that there don’t seem to be many with a solid background in the sciences and an interest in working in our industry,” Rosengren said. “There is no specific age group we are targeting. We are working in high schools in some of the cities we do business in, and through our utility degree program in the colleges we are recruiting people in their twenties, and people a decade or two older, who are choosing this as a new career track.”
PSEG believes that focusing on workforce development, and working with New Jersey institutions and leaders, promotes urban economic development and job creation. One of the key roles that utilities will play in the green economy is ensuring universal access to its benefits. That not only means access to renewable energy and improved efficiency but also access to the jobs and economic growth created by the green economy. To take advantage of these opportunities, the energy industry must forge partnerships with community development organizations, foundations, and state and local governments to create workforce development systems that will allow urban residents to serve their communities by making them greener.
“New Jersey is beginning to develop partnerships and workforce development programs to help prepare for the emerging green economy. This has been spurred by the leadership of Governor Corzine and his administration; local leaders, such as Newark Mayor Corey Booker and Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer; nonprofit organizations, such as Green-for-All, the Apollo Foundation, and Isles Inc.; labor organizations, such as the IBEW [International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers]; and industry leaders, such as PSEG,” said Rosengren.
PSEG is collaborating with broad coalitions on green jobs initiatives in Newark and Trenton and is partnering with high schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges to develop and implement green curricula.
“It is crucial that energy companies ensure that knowledge is transferred between the green and traditional workforce, and between new and more experienced employees. This is particularly important given the wave of retirements expected in the next five to 10 years,” Rosengren said. “Rather than the traditional model where employees abruptly depart the workforce, PSEG is developing options for employees to start departing on a more gradual basis, by progressively reducing their workload. Some green jobs, such as conducting home energy audits, could be ideal for a phased retirement, as an employee might have the option of working close to home in his or her community.”
In California, PG&E also is focused on creating a career track for green collar jobs. “There is significant competition for engineers. One reason PG&E has had success in recruiting engineers is because of our company’s leadership on the environment and sustainability,” Ton-Quinlivan said. “The millennial generation of engineers has great interest in socially responsible work, which has worked in our favor.”
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