Hawai i's Green Workforce A Baseline Assessment December 2010

a survey that was supplemented with analysis of
LMI and other resources. This initiative relies on
the support and feedback of a Green Workforce
Intelligence Network (GWIN), a collaborative and
expandable consortium of government, industry and
education representatives, which builds upon the
statewide Energy Sector Work Group for Workforce
Development. Given Hawai‘i ’s unique isolation
from other energy and grid systems, labor markets,
and education and workforce development systems,
the GWIN steering committee consulted regularly
with counterparties in other states and regions
regarding issues, best practices and innovations in
workforce development and LMI. Throughout the
implementation phase of the Survey, an industry and
LMI user-driven improvement process has been a
strategic consideration.
While a general understanding of what is meant by
“green jobs” and a “green workforce” permeates
various discussion forums, there is no widely accepted
standard definition. To address this deficiency, the
Survey provides parameters defining occupations
and economic activities that qualify for inclusion.
This working definition formed an objective basis
for measuring the current number of green jobs, the
qualifications and training necessary to compete for
these positions, the green practices employers have
adopted, and the trends that are shaping the industry.
Responses from all businesses were later vetted by a
staff panel with a voting procedure to ensure overall
compliance. While no approach is absolute, adherence
to a well-defined and consistent definition is needed
for a more transparent interpretation of the data.
Survey data form the basis of the baseline estimation
presented in this report. From a functional
perspective, the DLIR will use this as a benchmark in
two related areas, to: (1) project future employment
in green jobs at the 2, 5 and 10-year horizons; and (2)
form a skills-gap assessment 2 focusing on training
capacity and demographic characteristics, including
the skills of existing and potential green workers.
The baseline generated from this analysis will also
2 A skills-gap assessment seeks to address the disparity between
a worker’s current skills and those required to fill a green job
through education and vocational training.
underscore future data collection and labor market
research that track green jobs and their respective
industries. Policy makers, business leaders and the
public can utilize this “green” intelligence to help
guide their strategic decision-making in areas such as
investment, education and workforce development.
Practical applications from this baseline assessment
are broad and far-reaching. Career counselors
and other service providers rely on industry and
occupation-based data to meet the needs of different
clients, from displaced engineers who require training
in green applications to lower-skilled job-seekers
who require basic training to obtain entry-level jobs
in the green sector. Information on green jobs and
the requisite skills companies seek when filling them
can also be used by leaders in the field of education
to better identify relevant degrees, certifications and
training programs. Universities, community colleges,
and trade and vocational schools are important
partners in bridging job-seekers and employers with
innovative programs and curricula that address the
needs of a rapidly evolving green economy. Within
this context, the private sector becomes a vested
stakeholder by providing the demand for a pool of
skilled workers to grow its businesses. The education
sector, in turn, generates revenue from expanded
services (Figure 1). Such symbiosis spurs activity and
innovation in the broader economy.
Ultimately, the Hawai‘i Green Jobs Survey aims to lay
the foundation upon which future initiatives can be
built. Rather than being a terminus, it is the starting
point from which the State of Hawai‘i can structure
future endeavors that facilitate the expansion of green
industries across the islands.
Figure 1. Green Labor Life Cycle
Hawaiÿi’s Green Workforce: A Baseline Assessment 9