This blog is from Jane Weissman who has been the Executive Director of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) since 1994.  IREC is a nonprofit organization celebrating its 28th anniversary.  IREC is the North American Licensee for the ISPQ Accreditation of Renewable Energy Training Programs and the Certification of Trainers. 

Many of us who have been in the trenches pushing hard for clean and renewable energy resources might have finally gotten what we've wished for.  Public and political will are supportive of a "green" economy.  New companies and organizations are fast to enter the market.  There is anticipation of many new green jobs.  Enrollment for green training is at an all-time high.  Great.  Now, let's not jump off a cliff in our rush to train the green workforce.

We need to move quickly but with caution, efficiency and attention to detail.

We held the third national conference on Workforce Education for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency two months ago in Albany.  Large crowd.  High energy.  We heard from community colleges, skill centers, training organizations, the trades, and other educational providers.  We came away with some clear themes and challenges.  There needs to be a reasonable  balance between training  and job opportunities -- let's not glut the market with trained practitioners but few jobs.  Critical to success are regular interactions between employers and training providers  -- let's make sure we're teaching the courses for the jobs that are out there.  More instructors are needed -- those who are good teachers with practical experience.  Train-the-trainer programs are gaining traction while hands-on training needs more time at the job site.  And, quality assurance and competency standards are the underpinning for a strong, green workforce.

This last point is really important.  Third-party verification through licensing and well-developed credentialing schemes provide objective assurances of competency.  With the proliferation of training programs, there needs to be guarantees that the right skill sets are being taught.  Poor workmanship becomes a safety issue and erodes consumer confidence.  Students should have a realistic understanding of what kinds of jobs they are being trained for and what additional  jurisdictional requirements they might need.

The planets are pretty much aligned -- public support, good policies, funding sources, and momentum.  Moving forward, how do we make sure that the green economy doesn't get a black eye?