Hawai i's Green Workforce A Baseline Assessment December 2010

Conclusion
The green economy in Hawaiÿi is sizable and
positioned to grow rapidly. Fueling this trend is
consumer demand for goods and services that are
carbon-neutral or low impact on the environment.
Businesses are responding to this niche market by
developing production processes and delivery systems
that consider factors beyond profit maximization.
While these intentions may be well placed, our
knowledge of the environment and the role that
humans play in it remains limited and is still evolving.
Technologies that can reduce our ecological footprint
also require costly research and, in some cases,
complex infrastructure. To effectively respond to
these challenges, policy makers and community
leaders must cultivate an educated and skilled
workforce capable of meeting the needs of a cleanenergy
economy.
Data from the inaugural Hawai‘i Green Jobs Survey
indicate that green jobs are expected to increase from a
2.4 percent share of total private employment in 2010
to 2.9 percent by 2012. Such growth will bring on line
2,903 new green jobs statewide, a 26 percent increase
in just two years. This contrasts with a one percent
average increase in total State employment over the
same period. 11 Given our findings that green jobs exist
in a large array of industries, ranging from traditional
sectors such as agriculture and construction to high
technology ventures in bio-fuels and hydrothermal,
a growth rate differential of this magnitude can have
profound social and economic implications
Labor market participants will require the tools and
resources to transition to a greener economy. This will
include retraining on-the-job or through certification
and licensing. Enrollment in formal degree programs
may be necessary if workers are to pursue entirely new
careers, either by choice or through underemployment
11 DLIR Research & Statistics Office, Long-Term Industry
Projections, State, 2008-2018, 2010. The overall increase is
based on first quarter 2010 non-government employment of
467,443 and projected 2012 employment of 476,835.
Photo Courtesy of Kauaÿi County Recycling
or unemployment. The associated costs, both direct
and indirect, can be significant, particularly during the
current period of post-recession economic recovery.
Success will require active coordination among all
stakeholders. Educators and training providers must
provide timely and relevant curricula; policy makers
will need to provide support in the form of funding
and a strategic plan that can deliver on its ambitious
HCEI goals; business leaders should continue to
actively incorporate greener practices and processes
into their production platforms; and workers or those
seeking employment will need to update existing skills
and competencies to maintain their competitiveness.
This report provides the first comprehensive
assessment of Hawaii’s green workforce.
Employment patterns and vacancy trends are analyzed
at the state and county levels across all major groups
of industries, occupations and worksite sizes. Green
is an evolving concept that is better understood
when considered within the context of a larger labor
market information (LMI) system. Connecting the
data collected on green jobs with broader LMI-use
dynamics and best practices will be an essential
next step. Such efforts are currently underway, and
encompass two additional areas:
Hawaiÿi’s Green Workforce: A Baseline Assessment 47