Opportunity Within Our Reach
We are on a collective journey to create a just transition to a clean energy workforce.
“CREST is unlocking these opportunities through investments in regional initiatives that empower and educate workers.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act are investing billions of dollars in climate-resilient infrastructure and clean energy. These new federal investments in green technologies are expected to create more than a million new jobs by 2035, according to research by World Resources Institute (WRI).
Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow (CREST) — a five-year $25 million initiative funded by Ares Charitable Foundation — brings together Jobs for the Future (JFF) and WRI to help close the gap between the demand for these workers and the number of people prepared for these potentially life-changing opportunities.
CREST recognizes a fundamental truth that almost every job can be climate resilient and environmentally responsible. Green jobs should also be quality jobs that provide economic stability, advancement, and dignity.
The transition to climate-resilient jobs is happening across the country, in rural and urban areas. The opportunity for quality, family-sustaining jobs must be open to all.
Now in its third year, CREST is unlocking these opportunities through investments in regional initiatives that empower and educate workers and learners from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for green jobs.
The Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge brings together local nonprofits, universities, employers, and other critical stakeholders to develop the programs needed to move this effort forward. Reskilling and upskilling are key to this move toward sustainable communities that address climate change and lift people up from overlooked communities.
The JFFLabs Entrepreneur-in-Residence program supports innovators at the forefront of clean technology that can address the need for climate-conscious products and services. These pioneers are creating a network of like-minded founders on a mission to change the climate landscape while showing that clean tech can be profitable and can create jobs in your community.
Companies of all sizes are joining the movement. Big companies are reexamining their business models to ensure that sustainability — and the needs of the workers and community — takes a higher priority in the corporate goals. Small- and mid-sized companies are also investing in new strategies to position themselves for the transition economy.
Workers are at the heart of all these efforts. The transition to climate-resilient jobs must keep their interests front and center.
“Green jobs should also be quality jobs that provide economic stability, advancement, and dignity.”
“Workers are at the heart of all these efforts. The transition to climate-resilient jobs must keep their interests front and center.”
Growing the Green Workforce
Small- and medium-sized companies understand they have a role to play in environmental protection, but many are unfamiliar with funding opportunities that would support green job creation.
Among the calls to action to address this lack of awareness: more regional collaboration among organizations including employers, educational institutions, training programs, and the workers themselves.
Jobs for the Future CEO Maria Flynn offers four strategies regions can adopt to foster a vibrant green economy that benefits everyone affected by a changing climate.
Preparing for Green Jobs
Millions of climate and infrastructure jobs are expected to be created over the next decade. It’s often said that all jobs can be green jobs, but it's also crucial that a job be a quality job.
For people exploring opportunities in the sector, it’s important to understand what green skills are required for specific jobs and what credentials are needed to land those positions.
The growth of the green economy also provides pathways to people who have faced barriers to economic advancement, including women, people of color, people with histories of incarceration, and people without a college degree.
Research and data are one component of understanding the types of jobs and the growing demand for workers but it’s critical that infrastructure stakeholders – including utilities, local governments, workforce development entities, community-based organizations, educational institutions – be a part of the same conversation.
JFF, in partnership with Indeed, hosted a LinkedIn Live exploring approaches for achieving domestic and international climate goals through the creation of quality green jobs.