To limit the impacts of climate change, the United States set targets in 2021 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050. To meet these targets, the federal government has been investing in new energy and transportation infrastructure at a massive scale. These investments, combined with changing industry market conditions and emerging technologies, are predicted to dramatically reshape the workforce.
In addition to facilitating the creation of clean energy and related jobs, workers in existing jobs will need to learn new skills and adapt to changing industry practices. In the next 10 years, as many as nine million high-quality jobs will be created to implement new energy infrastructure and help communities adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
What is the role of the nation’s community and technical colleges in preparing
for this workforce transition? To answer this question, the Community
College Research Center hosted a symposium in April 2024 that brought together community colleges, workforce development organizations, funders, policymakers, and others to discuss the opportunities and challenges of starting, expanding, and sustaining green workforce programs.
Participants shared programs and initiatives already in place at community
colleges discussed funding opportunities, and identified unmet needs and
opportunities to strengthen the ways that community colleges are contributing
to a sustainable future. This report from the CCRC shares five insights from the
symposium, with the goal of both supporting work currently underway and
galvanizing further efforts in community colleges to prepare workers for the
green economy.