If you’ve turned on the news lately, you know that unemployment is still the number one issue in America today. Regardless of what industry one may be in, there simply aren’t enough jobs. According to a number of recent surveys and studies, including this one from the San Francisco Center for Economic Development, that’s not the case in the green energy sector. While most people are unaware, there’s actually a shortage of trained and experienced workers in the renewable energy industry.
One industry association, the Association of Energy Service Professionals, surveyed companies that specialize in solar power and other forms of renewables and found that a staggering 60% of respondents cited a lack of qualified workers to hire. It appears that while most industries are laying off workers, solar manufacturers and other green tech companies can’t find enough qualified workers.
The future looks even brighter. While other areas of manufacturing are shrinking, renewable energy continues to grow. According to Midwest Energy News, green jobs such as solar and wind grew 8.3% in 2010, compared with the rest of nationwide job growth at 4.2%. Experts agree that the clean energy industry is expected to continue its impressive growth. With the need for qualified workers growing at such a rate, it’s no surprise prospective employers are desperate for experienced applicants.
Where are these green jobs? According to surveys such as the 2010 Global Cleantech 100 list, most prospective employers are located in large cities. One study from the Brookings Institution and Battelle’s Technology Partnership found that a full three-quarters of all green technology patents were issued to companies located in the 100 largest metropolitan cities. Innovative companies like those also created three-quarters of all the green jobs between 2003 and 2010. For anyone looking for a career in solar or any other green technology field, the big cities appear to be the place to look.
Another interesting fact mentioned in the Brookings and Battelle’s report found that companies opened before 2003 created an average of 3 jobs, while in the same time period, green companies opening up shop after 2003 created an average of 37 jobs. With statistics like that, it’s no wonder there’s a worker shortage in the renewable energy industry.
With a shortage of workers, clean industry jobs continue to pay a higher than average salary. In hopes of filling the many job openings, prospective employers offer an average pay rate 13% higher than the average American job. The same Brookings/Battelle report found that the average salary for clean economy jobs is $44,000 per year. Making the case even clearer, the Association of Energy Services Professionals affirmed that 80% of respondents cited vacant jobs in energy efficiency with pay scales between $50,000 and $100,000 per year. For clean energy jobs paying $100,000 to $150,000 annually, 28% had unfilled job openings. So while the rest of the economy is still laying worker off, the studies show that energy efficiency and clean economy are hiring. Go solar!
