The Green Economy

Overview

Green-jobs website! To learn about a wide range of green jobs and skills--including wages and education/training required--see Green Skills at the WDC's new website, MapYourCareer.org.

The WDC is leading our region in identifying "green jobs" and skills that will be required both for the next generation of workers and the workers who are in the field today.

Our efforts range from $10 million in Recovery Act/stimulus grants for job training to numerous research reports exploring green building, energy efficiency and the entire green economy.

Green Research

Using Recovery Act/stimulus funding, the WDC has commissioned several research reports on different facets of the green economy:

Outlook for Green Job Growth: Based on an employer survey and interviews conducted by the Business and Economic Development Center at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, this report gauges green job growth Seattle-King County in the next year across five green economy sectors: green building, energy production and distribution, transportation, manufacturing, and environmental protection and remediation.
Impact of Public Funding on Green Economy Jobs: This report inventories public funding received or anticipated in the Puget Sound region in four green sectors (excluding manufacturing) and estimates how many jobs will be generated in the region for every $1 million of investment.
Energy Efficiency Supply Chain Study: In partnership with SkillUp Washington, the WDC commissioned this report to explore the “supply chain” of parts that are installed during commercial-building retrofits and whether there are opportunities to create jobs manufacturing these parts here in the Puget Sound.

Assistance for Businesses

Businesses who would like to "green up" can use this booklet for tips on forming internal "green teams" and bringing sustainable practices into purchasing, building management, meeting and events, and healthy indoor environments.

Greening your Business: A Guide for Creating More Sustainable Organizations: This guide gives pointers to small and medium-sized businesses on how to "green" their operations and business practices through Sustainability Coordinators or Green Teams.

Job Training

In 2009, the WDC competed for and won more than $10 million to train workers across Puget Sound in green skills. Learn more...

Sustainability in the Building and Construction Trades, a curriculum to gives construction apprentices foundational knowledge of green-building concepts and practices, is now available statewide on DVD. The curriculum is an initiative of the WDC’s Green Building Skill Panel.