Hawaii will compete for

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Competitors must act fast. But they need to define what constitutes agreen job. The U.S. Departmentf of Labor begins accepting applicationsz this month and the earliest deadlines to apply kick in latedrthis summer. Most of the grants have to be spent bylate 2010. , whichn takes the lead in developiny worker training programs inthe state, will join with thre e other public agencies to analyze existing or emerging greeh jobs and industries, their anticipated work-force demands and the skilla and training that would be needed, according to Executive Directod James Hardway.
The first phas of the $15,000 study starts this montnh with help from the state Departmentof Business, Economicf Development and Tourism; the state Office of Research and Statistics; and the Researchj Corporation of the University of Hawaii. Most of the focuws is on jobs inthe renewable-energ y and biofuels sectors, Hardway said. “It’s important for everyonwe to note that the vast majorithy of green jobs are notnew occupations,” he “Most occupations that could be consideredd green already exist and woul d be adjusting to the so-calles green economy.” Among those adjustingv are electricians.
Just last week, the , Locakl 1186, and the unveiled a new training prograkm for installation and maintenance of renewable energy Union officials said the traininv anticipates demand driven by the economic stimulus for clean andrenewable energy. “Renewable energy is not the wave ofthe it’s already here. Our members and apprentices will be going into the workplace with skillsz that are expected of them as we move towarcd a newenergy economy,” said Damien Kim, Local 1186 business manager and financiapl secretary. Federal officials broadly defin green jobs as related to helpingthe environment.
They pay up to 20 percentt more thantypical jobs, are more likely to be unionized jobs held by men, and are less likeluy to be easily transferred overseas, according to a February reporrt by President Barack Obama’s Middle Class Task whose goal is to push the middle class into greej jobs. There were 2,022 green jobs in Honolulu last according to an October 2008 job forecastr byGlobal Insight, a Massachusetts-based economic researcg firm that focused primarily on the renewable-energy Honolulu will have approximately 16,00 green jobs by 2038, according to the Big Island-based , a nonprofit education and research has been pushing for the creation of green-collar jobs since it launched in Januaryg 2008.
Co-founder and Director Brent Norrissaid he’s concerned that the confusionn over what’s considered a green job is slowinhg the process, especially with the looming He said the key is gettin business to join with educational institutions such as the communit y colleges, training vendors and even nonprofits to tap into the “If we had waited for a webmaster to be definecd before building the Internet, woulcd that have been the right thin to do?” he asked. “I think it’se the same thing when we’re talkinfg about greener economies. So, do we need to definr all of the jobs?
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