Introduction to Green Jobs: Creating a Pipeline from Secondary to Post-Secondary Education & Training in New Mexico's Green Economy

The emerging green economy represents a tremendous opportunity for economic development and job creation in New Mexico. The clean energy and clean-tech sectors represent some of the fastest growing industries in the nation.[i] Over the past ten years, New Mexico’s clean energy sector grew by 118 percent, energy efficiency by 184 percent, environmentally friendly production by 99 percent, and conservation and pollution mitigation by 35 percent.[ii] Given New Mexico’s significant renewable energy resources, range of incentives and progressive laws, the state is well positioned to experience significant job growth in a number of green industry sectors. The American Solar Energy Association estimates that 237,000 new jobs could be created in New Mexico in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors by 2020.[iii] How do we develop a well-trained workforce to meet future demand for these jobs, many of which are new and emerging?

Building capacity for green jobs workforce education and training is a prerequisite for development of a green economy in New Mexico. The New Mexico Green Jobs Cabinet Report specifically identifies “the development of new curricula, educational and training programs, and communication of those programs between secondary and postsecondary education, and industry" [iv] as a need in the state. Providing pathways from high school through apprenticeships and post-secondary education ensures a continuum of education and training opportunities.

The new green economy has the potential to provide low-income workers with high-quality, middle-skill jobs, yet “ unless strong action is taken, clean energy jobs will remain largely out of the reach of low-skilled, low-income adults in dire need of work and better wages,” according to The Working Poor Families Project.[v] Governor Richardson’s Climate Change Task Force has stated that low-income communities and communities of color are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Low-income workers in New Mexico face specific workforce training challenges identified by the Department of Workforce Solutions, such as work readiness and basic skills (e.g., literacy) and other barriers to employment (e.g., childcare, transportation). Some of the specific barriers for low-income workers in the green economy include lack of access to skills development opportunities, such as green jobs training and apprenticeship programs.[vi] Green workforce development in communities with social and environmental justice concerns is critical to ensuring that all New Mexicans are well prepared for green jobs and that local capacity is developed for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The “Intro to Green Jobs” Curriculum Provides a Collaborative Structure for Green Jobs Training

With funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, this curriculum was developed to build capacity for green jobs training and education for high school students in environmental justice communities in New Mexico that will equip students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to compete for employment in the growing green jobs sector. The curriculum proposes to achieve this goal through creation of a collaborative structure that will support and guide transition from high school to post-secondary training for green jobs for low-income students in New Mexico. The curriculum improves access to skills development opportunities in green jobs and overall will strengthen the education pipeline to green careers.

Curriculum development has followed a multi-disciplinary approach by synthesizing input and expertise from a Curriculum Advisory Committee comprised of green businesses, economic development, public education and workforce development experts, along with secondary and post-secondary school educators. The curriculum has integrated the latest green job projections and employer needs in New Mexico with standards-based curricula and training and educational resources for green job career pathways. Career guidance and mentoring are also incorporated into the curriculum program.

Introduction to Green Jobs Curriculum
Overview of Curriculum
Introductory Unit - Climate Change, Peak Everything, Sustainability & Your Job in a Green Economy, Appendix I
Unit A - The Grid and Electricity Production with Renewable Energy, Appendix A
Unit B - Green Building, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection, Appendix B
Unit C - Water Conservation, Water Quality Protection and Stormwater Management, Appendix C
Unit D - Sustainable Agriculture and Biomass Energy, Appendix D
Unit E - Transportation Fuels and Alternative Transportation, Appendix E
Unit F - Clean Manufacturing, Waste Management and Recycling, Appendix F
Career Goals and Assessment, Appendix G

Acknowledgments:
We wish to thank the U.S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Small Grants Program for providing funding for this project. We are grateful to Aldo Leopold High School and the students in the Intro to Green Jobs class for piloting the course curriculum. Thank you to the Curriculum Advisory Committee and community presenters for their time and commitment to this project. We appreciate everyone’s support!

Activities completed under this Environmental Justice Grant Agreement are for outreach and demonstration purposes only. Although the information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the United State Environmental Protection Agency under an assistance agreement, it has not been submitted to the Agency’s publications review process and therefore, may not reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. Data collection and environmentally related measurements are not conducted in accordance with EPA Quality Assurance requirements.