Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs prepare students for high-skill, in-demand employment in rewarding job sectors. CTE programs are supported by the Perkins V Act, a federal allocation providing over $1 billion annually to bolster career and technical education nationwide. Every few years, Perkins funding requires that colleges complete a local needs assessment to ensure that their offerings are aligned to the job market in their service area. One of the most notable job market trends in recent years has been the rise of the ‘green collar job.’
Green collar jobs or green jobs for short are the careers forming in sectors that are responding to climate change and the growing need for sustainability. Careers like solar panel installation and wind turbine technicians are part of this growing need and are projected to see job growth up to 68% by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the years, CTE programs have sought to integrate sustainability education into their offerings to prepare students for jobs in the growing green economy.
Many green jobs are considered middle skill jobs as they often require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. This pattern has uniquely positioned CTE programs at community colleges to align their offerings to meet the growing demand for green collar workers. Recently, the State of Illinois has positioned its community college system on the cutting edge of this development through its Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), a measure that has seen over $40 million distributed to Illinois community colleges for green workforce development.
Signed into law in 2021, CEJA is a cutting-edge piece of legislation, aiming to transition the State of Illinois to a sustainable future by achieving a carbon-free power sector by 2045 and 100% clean energy by 2050. This transition will also require a green workforce able to operate and service the forthcoming green energy system. Thinking ahead, the legislation provides the State’s community college system with generous funding for sustainable CTE programming, preparing students for the State’s green future.
One of these initiatives is the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program. This network establishes thirteen Workforce Hubs across Illinois designed as CTE training centers specializing in certification and skill training for entry-level green collar jobs. At least six of the thirteen recipients are public community colleges and over $30 million has been allocated through the program.
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has launched a similar workforce development initiative, aiming to train community college students for jobs in the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry. EVs reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy sources. EV sales are up worldwide, generating a need for green collar workers in sectors like EV manufacturing and auto mechanics.
Illinois CTE programs are using sustainability education to prepare workers for a green future. This trend is also taking off at the university level where the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has established a certificate program in sustainability education. Such measures are ensuring economic opportunity and environmental progress for years to come.