Green Jobs

When OEC works to promote a sustainable economy in Oregon, we can help create green jobs. Businesses that embrace the concept of sustainability and integrate it into their operations can become green employers. Transforming our state economy into one that equitably balances economic prosperity, thriving ecosystems, and healthy communities is a major challenge. Increasing the number and type of green jobs in Oregon can help meet this challenge.  

Oregon has a wealth of opportunities for organizations that recognize the multiple benefits of sustainability. Our emerging green economy requires progressive companies with strong connections to educational institutions. These relationships are necessary to equip our workforce with appropriate skill sets and support research that leads to innovation.

OEC is helping develop a sustainable economy in Oregon by promoting innovative policies and fostering collaborations. These can lead to profitable, equitable businesses that improve environmental quality.

Green Jobs Defined

There is no uniform definition of what constitutes a green job. Some are broad, while others are quite narrow. The Oregon Employment Department defines a green job as one that provides a service or produces a product in any of these categories:

1. Increasing energy efficiency
2. Producing renewable energy
3. Preventing, reducing, or mitigating environmental degradation
4. Cleaning up and restoring the natural environment
5. Providing education, consulting, policy promotion, accreditation, trading and offsets, or similar services supporting categories 1-4

Other organizations include the quality of jobs as well as job types when defining green jobs. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, a green job includes positions in a variety of sectors that “contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality”. In addition, green jobs should also provide adequate wages, safe working conditions, and worker rights.  

Emerging Oregon Industries in the Green Economy

OEC is working in partnership with a variety of organizations to help build on existing assets and overcome barriers to support the development of green jobs and industries. 

The following are some of the ways we’re involved in sustainable economic develop efforts that can create jobs to build the green economy and fight global warming in Oregon:

• Biofuels and Renewable Energy – In 2007, OEC helped establish a renewable fuel standard and completed a report on environmentally and socially sound practices for the production of biofuels in Oregon. Recently, we worked with a diverse group of stakeholders to pass legislation creating a low-carbon fuel standard in Oregon.

• Green Building and Energy Efficiency – OEC is part of the Living Building Initiative, a consortium of businesses and non-profits that are committed to sustainability issues and protection of natural resources, land use and public health in Oregon.  The Oregon Sustainability Center is a project that will pursue sustainability in the built environment.

• Agriculture – Ensuring that Oregon’s farmers and food businesses flourish economically by rewarding environmental stewardship and social equity is a fundamental component of OEC’s Healthy Food and Farms Program.  Helping build market connections for sustainable producers helps increase their economic viability.   

• Transportation – Expanding transportation options is a critical step in reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. A variety of transportation options also improves the livability of our communities.

Green Jobs in the Oregon

A survey conducted by the Oregon Employment Department estimated that there were 51,402 green jobs in Oregon in 2008. They accounted for around 3% of the state’s private, state and local government employment that year. The jobs were diverse and spread across 226 different occupations.

Most of the green jobs were concentrated in five occupations, including carpenters, farmworkers, truck drivers, hazardous substance removal workers, and landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Two thirds of the green jobs in Oregon pay $15.00 and hour or more.

A report by the Political Economy Research Institute includes information about occupations in Oregon that would benefit from investment in the green economy.  The Apollo Alliance and Green For All released a publication that explores local green jobs in clean energy industries. OEC is a member of the Oregon Chapter of the Apollo Alliance, which includes labor, consumer, low-income and environmental organizations working together to advance green jobs development.

Workforce Education and Training

Our skilled workforce is a major reason that businesses choose to locate in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.  While some new jobs will be created in the green economy, the majority of the jobs will be in existing areas of employment.  For example, retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency requires electricians, insulation installers, carpenters, and building inspectors, among others. 

However, some sectors like manufacturing face shortages of skilled workers.  Fortunately, Oregon has a number of educational and training institutions that are specializing in skills required for green jobs:

• Oregon Institute of Technology has programs in renewable energy engineering in Portland and Klamath Falls.
• Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles runs the only certified wind technician program in the West.
• The Northwest Energy Education Institute offers two year degrees in Energy Management, Renewable Energy and Water Conservation as well as a host of certification courses.
• Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. promotes women in trades. Many of these trade skills will help build our green economy.
• Portland Community College is partnering with the largest photovoltaic manufacturer in the U.S. to help train maintenance technicians locally.
• Portland Youth Builders offers education and vocational training for low-income youth in construction and carpentry.
• Verde Native Plant Nursery in Portland employs and trains low-income people for future employment in projects that protect and restore aquatic resources and ecosystems.
• There are a wide variety of educational opportunities in the Oregon University System that will provide a host of skills for those interested in green jobs.

References for the information contained on this page are available upon request. For more information, contact Colin Price at colinp at oeconline.org.