California Green Jobs Sector Nearly Half a Million Strong

A California Employment Development Department survey has identified more than 300,000 green jobs in the state.

The survey defines a green job as one in which at least 50% of the employee’s time is focused on green products or services.

Factor in jobs where part of the employee’s time is spent on green products or services and the state can claim almost half a million green jobs.

Those jobs include renewable energy generation and storage; recycling, manufacture, distribution, construction installation and maintenance of energy efficient products; education, compliance and awareness; and natural and sustainable product manufacturing.

"California already has more than 300,000 green jobs and the best is yet to come," said Victoria Bradshaw, Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

"This survey shows that green jobs are distributed more broadly through our economy than previously thought. In addition to the 300,000 jobs, another 171,000 jobs are held by employees who spend at least part of their time on green products and services."

With 3.8% of all jobs focusing on green products and services, California leads the rest of the country that have conducted such surveys. Washington state has 3.3% of its workforce in green jobs and Michigan and Oregon have 3%.

Despite organizations like the California Manufacturers and Technology Association opposing AB 32, California’s renewable energy and emissions reduction law, based on the loss of manufacturing jobs in the state, the survey found that the manufacturing sector was the leading employer in the survey, with over 93,000 workers in green jobs. Construction followed with 68,000 green jobs.

The survey also found that 3 out of 4 workers were trained on the job, indicating that transitioning to a green economy may be easier for workers than expected. Among the top green jobs were carpenters, hazardous waste removal, sustainable agriculture, electricians, plumbers, architects, industrial production managers and transportation specialists.

Image courtesy of greenforall.org via Flickr