Oberlin College - Lewis Center for Environmental Studies - photo by Barney Taxell

Colleges, universities, even high schools and programs for the technical trades are transforming as a result of the move toward a greener workplace. Students are in the forefront of this movement, demanding greener campuses, changes in policies on recycling, re-use, and conservation of resources.

Seasoned mid-career professionals as well as skilled tradespeople see the value in re-training to find new kinds of work in the green economy. Training programs in all disciplines and all industries are being impacted by the emergence of the sustainability movement into the light of mainstream culture.

Colleges and universities, spearheaded by student activism, have emerged as some of the most innovative centers of progress in this new paradigm. Some of those in the forefront of the movement are:

• Oberlin College, Ohio
  their A.J. Lewis Center for Environmental Studies is a high-performance building itself, integrating renewable-energy systems for electrical, water, HVAC, landscaping and other features.
• U.C. Berkeley is a leader in sustainability assessment and planning, giving students experience in policy-making and strategic planning around renewable-energy and conservation issues.
• Berea College, Kentucky began its sustainability program in 1999, and as a small rural college, supports a grass-roots approach to climate change and other environmental concerns that comprises a broad range of core and elective courses, from basic ecology to green tech.

In 2007, the Federal Green Jobs Act (initially authored by the Secretary of Labor-designate, Hilda Solis) was signed into law as part of the 2007 Energy Bill, setting aside $125 million for training in renewable-energy and other clean-tech jobs, targeting low income workers, veterans, and workers displaced from other industries.

Programs to meet the need for training and re-skilling of the workforce do exist, but will need to expand if Barack Obama’s stimulus plan develops a greenish cast. Some initiatives that have already proven successful:

• Solar Energy International offers both onsite workshops throughout the world, and online courses on solar and wind topics.
• NABCEP - North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners offers photovoltaic installation, solar thermal installer, small wind and other certificate programs, both for new practitioners and experienced workers updating their skills.
• IBEW Local 322, San Jose California
  Union members researched renewable energy technologies and built their own local union hall integrating a 47kW photovoltaic system.

And also…
U.S. Department of Energy Education Links
California Green Solutions has a comprehensive list of training opportunities for green careers