Date of Product Submittal July 22, 2011 Name of Your Organization Grant Program Name ETA Issued Grant Number (this can be found on the first page of your Grant Agreement) The Industry focus of your project Office of Employment and Population Statistics, Arizona Department of Administration Formerly, Research Administration, Arizona Department of Commerce (Arizona Department of Commerce is now Arizona Commerce Authority) Arizona State Labor Market Information Improvement Green Jobs GJ-19839-10-60-A-4 Emerging Green Economy Industry Sectors in the State of Arizona Grant End Date September 30, 2011 Name of your Federal Project Officer Key contact involved in developing the product(s) (include name, address, telephone number, and email address) Latha Seshadri Yustina Saleh, Ph.D Director, Analytics & Strategic Research Burning Glass Technologies One Faneuil Hall Market, 4th Floor Boston, MA 02109 USA (732) 284-7117 ysaleh@burning-glass.com www.burning-glass.com Kenneth Poole President & CEO Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) 1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2225 Arlington, Virginia 22209 (703) 522-4980 kpoole@c2er.org Product Name of Product Package Product Number Arizona Real-time LMI Job Vacancy Report: Available Green Jobs (May to October 2010) AZLMII-03(a)
Product Type (Refer to the Product Category List and Definitions pages 11-12 - to identify the appropriate product type for your product. You are welcome to assign more than one product type. Product types include competency models and career ladders; curriculum and course materials; outreach materials; program management and implementation tools; and reports and databases.) Complete Product Description (The product description should thoroughly describe the product and use of the product.) Reports This Arizona Real-time LMI Job Vacancy Report is part of a broader effort of research studies, data collection efforts, and data dissemination initiatives for the Office of Employment and Population Statistics, Arizona Department of Administration (formerly known as Research Administration, Arizona Department of Commerce / Commerce Authority) to improve the state s understanding of its green economy. The key objectives of this green economy research initiative are to promote and improve the dissemination of intelligence on the green economy in Arizona, and provide a foundation for future analysis. The third category of product deliverables in this green economy research project pertains to analyses of green jobs vacancies in Arizona between 2010 and 2011. Unlike the first two product categories, the vacancies research focuses on job openings rather than previously existing jobs or actual employment. There are three reports in this third category of deliverables. The first vacancy report analyzes available green jobs in the state based on real-time LMI data from web-published postings by Arizona companies from May 2010 to October 2010. This period was chosen to coincide with the period of the green jobs survey, which also elicited vacancy information from Arizona companies via survey questionnaire (see, also, the second product deliverable). Like the first, the second vacancy report also analyzes available green jobs using realtime LMI data from web-published postings by Arizona companies. However, the period of analysis is from March 2010
to March 2011. Thus, by utilizing a longer time series, the second study was designed to ascertain trends in available openings for green jobs in Arizona. The third vacancy report is a technical memo comparing pros and cons of eliciting green jobs vacancies via survey vs. real-time LMI methodologies. The focus of this first vacancy report is to provide an understanding of the green economy in Arizona via a study of available green jobs in comparison to non-green jobs in the state based on real-time LMI data encompassing the period May 2010 to October 2010. File and Folder Names that Correspond to the Product Program and Product Context (Many grant products are developed as part of a larger project. What was this product s purpose or function in its original setting? This is a good time to write a short synopsis of the purpose of the grant, the grant activities, the objectives of the grant and the objectives of this particular product package.) Arizona Real-time LMI Job Vacancy Report: Available Green Jobs (May to October 2010) The State of Arizona received a $1.2 million Labor Market Information (LMI) Improvement grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in November 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grant provides resources to the Arizona LMI Research office to assess the state s green economy, measure the number of green jobs available, and provide baseline information about location of current jobs and where future job opportunities will likely be in this emerging sector of the state s economy. The project is being advised by a statewide group of business, government, and academic leaders with expertise in various aspects of the green economy. A national research team, led by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), is providing research assistance. The project s third major deliverable is identified under Task 4 of the Project Timeline. The product deliverable is provision of green jobs vacancy reports in Arizona, of which this report is the first of three in this category.
The primary goal of this vacancy report is to identify and provide information on: Overall number of job openings, including a subset that require green skills The kinds of industries that employ workers requiring green skills The kinds of green occupations that were most prominent The knowledge, skills, and abilities required to succeed in the green occupations Reported salary for green vs. non-green jobs Location of green jobs in the state In this research, C2ER collaborated with Burning Glass Technologies to identify the most critical findings about available green jobs in Arizona using real-time vacancy labor market information database, derived by employing an innovative information search and retrieval and deduplication technology to collect information about millions of job postings across thousands of job boards, corporate websites, and other online sources. From the Burning Glass real-time vacancy LMI database, covering the period May 2010 to October 2010, this report includes: All the data identified above to meet the primary goal of this report Analysis of the vacancy data to produce actionable intelligence for use by the intended audience of this report
Target Groups (Who are the end users of the product? For example, high school students, community college teachers, dislocated or incumbent workers, ESL trainees, businesses, local government officials, the general public, etc.) Dissemination Audience (What key players in the workforce system are most likely to access these materials and work with them? College teachers, OJT coordinators, WIB members, marketing and dissemination staff, etc.) Job seekers, economic development and workforce development professionals, Human Resources professionals, employers, high school, community college, and university educators, training providers, students, state and local officials and policy makers. High school, teachers and counselors, community college and university professors, On-the-Job Training (OJT) coordinators, WIB staff and Board members, and HR Directors of businesses. Other Information (What other information would another organization need to know in order to replicate this product? For example, what is the number of contact hours? Number of modules? Courses? Class sessions? Distribution size? Issues with implementing the product? etc.)
DRAFT FOR REVIEW February 2011 ARIZONA JOB VACANCY REPORT Available Jobs, May to October 2010 Prepared for the Arizona Commerce Authority PRELIMINARY REPORT February 2011 Credits and Disclaimer: This report was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor s Employment and Training Administration. The report does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. State of Arizona has the copyright to this report. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner. 0 P a g e 1 7 0 0 N. M O O R E S T R E E T, S U I T E 2 2 2 5, P O B O X 1 0 0 1 2 7, A R L I N G T O N, V A 2 2 2 1 0 7 0 3-5 2 2-4 9 8 0 W W W. C 2 E R. O R G
ARIZONA JOB VACANCY REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As part of a U.S. Department of Labor grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Arizona Labor Market Information Division of the Arizona Commerce Authority seeks to assess job opportunities in the state s green economy. The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) assembled a team to provide research assistance. Burning Glass Technologies, working in collaboration with the C2ER team, prepared a job vacancy study, examining web-published ( real-time ) job postings from the period of May to October 2010. This represents the third analysis of Arizona s green jobs in a series designed to explore alternative ways to track the emergence of this sector. Unlike other studies, this research focuses on job openings rather than previously existing jobs. The data in this study include: Overall number and characteristics of job openings in Arizona in non-green vs. green industries Education and skill requirements of green job openings compared with all other jobs Reported wages available to green jobseekers in comparison to their non-green counterparts The most significant findings from the Job Vacancy Report are as follows: Rarely are all of a company s available jobs classified as green. Many companies not typically considered green are recruiting for jobs that require unique skills related to the green economy. Between May and October 2010, Arizona organizations and companies advertised an estimated 276,194 jobs, of which 5,264 were clearly green job openings. These green job openings represented about 1.9 percent of total overall state openings. It is important to note that if a job requires a green skill, then it is categorized as a green job in this report. The firms hiring the largest number of green employees in Arizona during the period of May to October 2010 included: o Government contractors o Solar technology o Waste management o Healthcare o Education o Hotels and tourism o Commercial real estate 1 P a g e
Most web-posted job openings -- non-green as well as green -- were found in the central region of Arizona, followed by the southern region, and then the northern region. A higher share of job postings are related to green in the southern and northern areas of the state, representing 34 percent of all green job postings in both regions combined (29 percent all job postings). For the period of May to October 2010, the distribution of green job openings by BLS final categories definition of green economic activity in Arizona revealed: o Pollution Reduction and Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and Recycling and Reuse 34 percent o Conservation of Land and Natural Resources 28 percent o Improvement in Energy Efficiency 18 percent o Environmental Compliance, Education and Training, and Public Awareness 11 percent o Production of Energy from Renewable Sources 9 percent Service firms dominated the demand for new workers in Arizona s green economy. The most green job openings were in engineering services, construction, landscaping services, plumbing/hvac contractors, and environmental consulting. Employers are looking for workers with experience as well as training. About half of green job openings required at least 4 years of experience compared to about one-third of all other jobs. Educational attainment is also a significant factor in hiring for green jobs. During the period of May to October 2010, 68 percent of green jobs required a Bachelor s Degree or a higher Graduate/Professional Degree. Overall, employers for green jobs demanded applicants that had greater experience, higher education, and more specific technical skills than employers seeking workers for other occupations. About 20 percent of advertised green jobs required a green or non-green certification. As green industry standards continue to emerge, it is likely that the number of certified workers will increase dramatically. The formal infrastructure of education, training, and certification is still developing for green-related jobs. A significant portion of green job openings provided average annual wages above the statewide median. The median annual salary in Arizona for current green job openings is $52,993. 2 P a g e
BACKGROUND In November 2009, the State of Arizona received a $1.2 million Labor Market Information (LMI) Improvement grant from the U.S. Department of Labor as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. One of the grant tasks focused on understanding the nature of available job opportunities in the state s green economy. Tapping the expertise a national research team, the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) is conducting a series of studies designed to help better understand the green economy in Arizona. Two previous studies examined green companies and their employment using company and product information to categorize employment as well as green occupations using a business survey designed to gather information about occupations and job titles involved in green activities. This study represents the third analysis of Arizona s green jobs in a series designed to explore alternative ways to track the emergence of this sector. Unlike other studies, this research focuses on job openings rather than previously existing jobs. In this research, C2ER collaborated with Burning Glass Technologies to identify the most critical findings about available jobs in Arizona. This data, referred to as real-time vacancy labor market information, is derived by using innovative information search and retrieval technology to collect information about millions of job postings across thousands of job boards, corporate websites, and other online sources. The raw data is then converted into a database of un-duplicated job postings and assigned characteristics regarding the industry, occupation, salary, education or skill requirements, position location, and any other information provided within each job posting. From an analysis of the Burning Glass real-time vacancy LMI database, the team was able to identify web-published job openings in Arizona between May and October 2010 and report the following information: Overall number of job openings, including a subset that require green skills Characteristics of green job openings compared to all available jobs Education and skill requirements of green job openings compared to all other jobs Reported wages available to green jobseekers AVAILABLE GREEN AND NON-GREEN JOBS Two basic issues are central to the challenge of defining the green economy: developing consensus on how to define green jobs and determining how best to parse out the jobs that are green from those that are not within green companies. It is rare that all jobs in a company can be classified as green. Furthermore, many companies that are not considered green require workers with unique green-related skills. A definition for green jobs was finalized in September 2010 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor. By this definition, green jobs are characterized as: 3 P a g e
Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources Jobs in which workers duties involve making their establishment s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources February 2011 For the six-month period of May to October 2010, Burning Glass review of available web-postings, and the BLS definition, revealed a total of 276,194 unduplicated job postings in Arizona, of which 5,264 openings were for green jobs, representing 1.9 percent of total state employment vacancies. For each month during this period, approximately 46,000 jobs were available, of which about 877 were green jobs. For this report, if a job requires a green skill it is categorized as a green job. Figure 1: Number of Green & Non-Green Jobs May-10 Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10 Sep-10 Oct-10 Total May-Oct. 2010 Total 38,596 35,281 42,692 54,534 45,311 59,780 276,194 Non-Green Jobs 37,805 34,704 41,958 53,440 44,434 58,589 270,930 Green Jobs 791 577 734 1,094 877 1,191 5,264 Figure 2: Proportion of Arizona Job Openings that were Green, May to October 2010 2.50% 2.00% 2.05% 1.64% 1.72% 2.01% 1.94% 1.99% 1.91% 1.50% 1.00% 0.50% 0.00% May-10 Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10 Sep-10 Oct-10 Monthly Average Percentage of Green Jobs 4 P a g e
CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEN JOB OPENINGS The firms seeking the largest number of green employees in Arizona during the period of May to October 2010 represent a variety of industries, which include government contractors, solar technology, waste management, healthcare, education, hotels and tourism, and commercial real estate. At the broadest level, it is difficult to identify a typical green business in Arizona. Green businesses operate in a very diverse set of industries and regions and provide a diverse mix of employment and career opportunities. Not surprisingly, the largest number of jobs in Arizona is found in the Central Region, which comprises the Phoenix metropolitan area (with more than 4.4 million residents) and includes Maricopa, Pinal, Graham, Greenlee, and Gila counties. These counties represent approximately 67 percent of the state s population and have the largest concentration February 2011 Figure 3: Top Arizona Employers Advertising Green Jobs, May to October 2010 General Electric Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Waste Management of Arizona University of Arizona Calibre System Incorporated Arizona State University City of Phoenix First Solar WI Gore & Associates Cracker Barrel Honeywell Marriott Catholic Healthcare West A&P HDR Incorporated U.S. Bancorp Metrologic Instrument Incorporated Jones Lang LaSalle of skilled workers in the state. During the May to October 2010 time period, 71 percent of all webposted job openings were available in central Arizona. About two-thirds of the state s green job openings were found in this region. Southern Arizona, comprised of Pima, Yuma, Santa Cruz, and Cochise counties and including the city of Tucson, represents the next most populous region, with 21 percent of the state s population. The border counties include Yuma, Sierra Vista, and Nogales. About 22 percent of all web-posted job openings were available in this region during the May to October 2010 time period. One in four (25 percent) of the state s green job postings was in this region. The Northern Region has a much smaller population and job base than central and southern Arizona. The Northern Region of Arizona is comprised of mountain communities and vast Indian reservations, including Mohave, La Paz, Yavapai, Navajo, Apache, and Coconino Counties. It represents about 11 percent of the state s population but only about 7 percent of all web-posted job openings in the state and 9 percent of all green job openings. Furthermore, at 2.5 percent of all web-advertised jobs, green jobs represent a larger proportion of all available jobs in the North. 5 P a g e
Figure 4: Geographic Distribution of Available Web-Posted Green and Non-Green Jobs Region Total Job Openings May 2010 to Green Jobs as a Proportion October 2010 Non-Green Job Openings Green Job Openings of all Job Openings Northern Region 19,406 18,925 481 2.5% Central Region 197,231 193,745 3,486 1.8% Southern Region 59,557 58,260 1,297 2.2% Total 276,194 270,930 5,264 1.9% A higher share of the vacant jobs in the Northern and Southern regions require green skills. Those regions provided about 29 percent of all job vacancies and 34 percent of green job vacancies. Figure 5: Proportion of Available Jobs by Region Northern Region 7% 9% Central Region 66% 72% Southern Region 22% 25% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Green Jobs Non-Green Jobs DISTRIBUTION OF GREEN JOBS BY TYPE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY One-third of available web-posted green jobs during the May to October 2010 time period can be found in traditional pollution mitigation and recycling activities. Natural resource conservation and energy efficiency represent the next two largest categories of available jobs. Combined, these categories represent 80 percent of the state s available green job opportunities. 6 P a g e
Figure 6: Distribution of Green Job Openings by Economic Activity Economic Activity Area (Clusters of Green Industries) Number of Green Jobs % of Available Green Jobs Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas 2,874 34% Reduction, and Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservation 2,310 28% Energy Efficiency 1,540 18% Environmental Compliance, Education & Training, and 897 11% Public Awareness Energy From Renewable Sources 724 9% ; BLS Green Sectors The most rapid increase in employment demand involved workers undertaking pollution reduction and recycling activities. Renewable energy job openings held relatively steady during the six month period, declining slightly in the fall after gains during the summer. Companies in all green economic activity areas slowed their hiring activity in September after healthy early summer increases. Figure 7: Change in Distribution of Available Green Jobs by Economic Activity 800 700 600 Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, & Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservation Energy Efficiency Environmental Compliance, Education & Training, and Public Awareness Energy From Renewable Sources Job Openings 500 400 300 200 100 0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 2010 7 P a g e
The largest proportion of firms that advertised available green jobs were in Professional and Technical Services, Public Administration, Manufacturing, Educational Services, and Health Care. Figure 8: The Top 10 Industries with Green Job Openings Industry Code Industry Title Number of Green Jobs % of Available Green Job Openings 541 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 1,333 23% 611 Educational Services 516 9% 921 Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support 394 7% 212 Mining (except Oil and Gas) 342 6% 221 Utilities 317 6% 562 Waste Management and Remediation Services 306 5% 236 Construction of Buildings 240 4% 622 Hospitals 194 3% 334 Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing 142 2% 561 Administrative and Support Services 131 2% Service firms dominated the employment demands for green jobs in Arizona s economy. Of the 5,264 available green jobs in Arizona between May and October 2010, five service sectors (professional and technical services, public administration, educational services, health care & social assistance, and administrative and waste services) accounted for 64 percent of those jobs. Examples of the kinds of activities these jobs performed were engineering, landscaping, plumbing or HVAC contracting, and environmental consulting. In-demand Green Occupations by Green Industry Cluster The green economy offers opportunities in a wide range of occupations and career paths. While many of these career pathways cross from industry to industry, different industry clusters also offer their own unique opportunities. The most in-demand green jobs are in occupations related to Management, Architecture and Engineering, the Life, Physical and Social Sciences, and Sales. However, different 8 P a g e
occupations are in-demand, depending on the green economic activity area (or industry cluster ). Following is a summary of the most in-demand occupation groups for each of five BLS-defined green economic activities. Many of these in-demand clusters require more highly educated and highly skilled individuals for these jobs. These training and education patterns are extremely important in terms of future wages and career opportunities. Positions with more extensive training pre-requisites and positions that require a Bachelor s Degree pay significantly higher wages and provide greater opportunities for career advancement and development. 9 P a g e
Figure 9: Web-posted Natural Resources Conservation Jobs Natural Resources Conservation by Occupation Group Number of Jobs Median Salary Life, Physical, & Social Science 492 $45,692 Architecture & Engineering 464 $70,000 Management 186 $82,500 Office & Administrative Support 172 $38,346 Sales & Related 117 $49,915 Computer & Mathematical 106 $51,920 Installation, Maintenance, & Repair 95 $54,985 Figure 10: Web-posted Pollution Reduction & Recycling Jobs Figure 11: Web-posted Energy Efficiency Jobs Energy Efficiency Job Openings by Occupation Group Number of Jobs Median Salary Architecture & Engineering 341 $79,565 Management 238 $58,057 Business/Financial Operations 132 $34,632 Sales & Related 125 $42,050 Computer & Mathematical 92 $52,113 Figure 12: Web-posted Renewable Energy Jobs Renewable Energy by Occupation Group Number of Jobs Median Salary Architecture & Engineering 149 $77,500 Management 112 $122,500 Pollution Reduction & Recycling Jobs by Occupation Group Number of Jobs Median Salary Installation, Maintenance, & Repair 99 $49,500 Life, Physical, & Social Science 492 $45,692 Architecture & Engineering 464 $70,000 Management 186 $82,500 Office & Admin Support 172 $38,346 Sales & Related 117 $49,915 Computer & Mathematical 106 $51,920 Installation, Maintenance, & Repair 95 $54,985 Figure 13: Web-posted Environmental Compliance/Training Jobs Environmental Compliance/Training by Occupation Group Number of Jobs Median Salary Life, Physical, & Social Science 213 $45,692 Architecture & Engineering 106 $82,500 Sales & Related 98 $100,000 Source: Burning Glass Analytics & Real-Time Jobs Data, AZ, May-Oct 2010 Source: Burning Glass Analytics & Real-Time Jobs Data, AZ, May-Oct 2010 10 P a g e
Jobseeker Pre-requisites to Compete for Green Job Openings Jobseekers applying for green job openings must have the right combination of education, skills, and experience to compete for openings. The data from real-time web-postings provide insights into the background that employers expect applicants to have. This section reviews the requirements that companies describe as criteria for job applicants. For many jobs, work experience is a vital pre-requisite. This is also true for green jobs. Employers frequently seek applicants with a proven track record, hands-on experience, and strong prior work references as a way to increase the likelihood that they will find a qualified, high performing employee. Examining only those job postings classified as green, nearly 50 percent required applicants to have four or more years of experience. By comparison, only one third (32 percent) of non-green job postings demand that much experience. Figure 14: Applicant Work Experience Required Experience Required Non-Green Green Jobs Jobs Less than 1 Year 11% 11% 1 to 3 Years 10% 9% 4 to 7 Years 24% 33% 7+ Years 8% 16% No experience information provided 48% 32% Slightly more than half (52 percent) of job openings identified the experience required. Web-based green job postings were more likely to identify pre-requisite work experience (68 percent of the postings required work experience). It is unclear whether the difference between green and non-green experience requirements can be explained by the higher experience requirement of green jobs or whether employers with green jobs are simply more likely to advertise information about the required experience than employers advertising other types of jobs. Education Requirements for Green vs. Non-green Job Openings Education is another frequent job pre-requisite. During the period of May to October 2010, 59 percent of non-green jobs and 68 percent of green jobs required a Bachelor s Degree or Graduate/Professional Degree. The data strongly suggest that there is a skill gap between what employers are demanding and the supply of applicants that are experienced, highly educated, and highly skilled. 11 P a g e
Figure 15: Education and Wage Profile of Available Arizona Job Openings Education Required Non-Green Job Distribution Non-Green Jobs Median Salary Green Job Distribution Green Jobs Median Salary Median Salary, All Jobs High School 17% $27,040 19% $33,761 $27,040 Post Secondary/Some College 5% $43,680 6% $44,699 $43,680 Bachelor's Degree 25% $63,525 50% $67,600 $63,525 Graduate/Professional Degree 3% $60,000 7% $58,500 $60,000 No Education Requirement Listed 62% $39,270 37% $49,500 $39,520 In addition, green jobs at each educational level tended to offer a salary premium, except at the highest skill level (those jobs requiring a graduate degree). For jobs requiring only a high school degree or not indicating an education requirement, the wage premium for green jobs was substantial, averaging $6,700 to $10,000 annually. It is likely that competition for these lower skill jobs is particularly keen. By far, however, the wages for jobs requiring a four year degree or more outpaced those requiring less education by at least $9,000 to $18,000 per year. Because many new types of green jobs are emerging, the infrastructure for a formal education and certification system is not yet fully developed. Even so, nearly two-thirds of the web-posted jobs (63 percent) required education beyond high school. By comparison, about one-third of other webadvertised jobs required education beyond high school. It is unclear whether the job postings that do not identify an education requirement are lower skill jobs or simply did not report an education requirement. Certification Requirements In addition to their educational requirements, about 20 percent of web-posted green jobs also required some form of licensing or certification. The most common types of certification were related to energy management or auditing as well as sustainable or LEED design. As green industry skill standards continue to emerge, it is likely that the proportion of jobs that require some form of licensing or certification will increase over time. In the meantime, employers and workers appear to rely mostly on a mix of formalized training and on-the-job skill development. 12 P a g e
Figure 16: Most Frequent Green Skill-related Certification Requirements, Arizona 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Energy Management Sustainable Design Energy Auditor Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Green Certified Professional Certified Energy Manager Green Building Building Performance Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) Home Energy Ratings (HERS) Certification Wetland Delineation Training Green Advantage Certification Green Construction Certified Manufacturing Engineer 8 7 5 5 3 3 2 13 16 38 61 60 56 54 For many of these certifications (with the exception of the ASE certification), the vacant green jobs also required a Bachelor s Degree. Examples of the most common certifications that are offered to individuals who already have four-year degrees included project management professional (PMP), professional engineer (PE), and quality assurance (ASQ) certifications. These certification requirements, combined with the four-year degree requirement, illustrate the higher skill demands that many firms ask of green job applicants and help explain why employers are willing to pay a premium for that expertise. 13 P a g e
Figure 17: Top Certifications Required for Green Jobs by Minimum Educational Attainment High School Diploma Associate's/ Some College Bachelor's Degree Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Welding Certification Electrician Certification (E.G. Electrical Installation Certification) Wastewater Treatment Certification American Concrete Institute (Aci) Six Sigma Hazardous Materials Certification Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certified Energy Manager Refrigeration Technician Certification (E.G. Cfc Type 2) Certified Dental Technician Certified Energy Manager Project Management Certification (E.G. PMP) Professional Engineer American Society For Quality (ASQ) Inspection Certification Leadership In Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Environmental Protection Agency Certification Manufacturing Certification Certified Energy Manager Certified Industrial Hygienist Hazardous Materials Certification Certified Quality Engineer 0 10 20 30 40 50 Numberof web-posted Jobs, May-Oct. 2010 Occupation Profiles Job Wage Benefits Based on job vacancy data between May and October 2010, Arizona s green economy provides a diverse mix of job opportunities, with varying pay and skill levels depending on industry sector and education/training requirements. Average annual wages for various green job occupations ranged from a low of $17,160 per year to a high of more than $180,000. A significant portion of green jobs provided average annual wages above the statewide median of $37,440 per year. In fact, the May-October 2010 real-time LMI data revealed that the median annual salary offered to prospective workers in Arizona for green jobs was $52,993. This is 27.7 percent higher than the median salary for non-green jobs ($41,500). Although green jobs are currently a relatively small segment of the State economy, the emerging green economy holds great promise for Arizona for growth in well-paying occupations. 14 P a g e
Among the most commonly advertised, high-paying green jobs were sales representatives and construction managers both paying wages averaging $95,000 or more. The best-paying in-demand green jobs were engineering managers, producers and directors, and geoscientists. These three occupations all offered median annual salaries of $100,000 or more. Less than 10 percent of the jobs Figure 18: Wage Profile of the 20 Most In-Demand Green Occupations in Arizona SOC Code Occupation Total Number of Green Jobs Percentage of Jobs Requiring Less than BA (excluding norequirement) Median Salary 00-0000 All Green Jobs 5,264 32.0% $52,993 11-9041 Engineering Managers 68 6.7% $115,000 27-2012 Producers and Directors 53 9.3% $105,000 19-2042 Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and 82 0.0% $100,000 Geographers 11-9021 Construction Managers 170 10.3% $95,750 41-4012 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and 183 30.4% $95,000 Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 19-3051 Urban and Regional Planners 50 5.1% $86,250 17-2071 Electrical Engineers 58 18.9% $80,000 49-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of 55 45.5% $74,173 Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers 17-2051 Civil Engineers 152 9.3% $73,429 41-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of 133 34.0% $70,465 Retail Sales Workers 17-2151 Mining and Geological Engineers, 82 2.7% $67,500 Including Mining Safety Engineers 19-2041 Environmental Scientists and 96 9.5% $66,300 Specialists, Including Health 51-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of 93 32.9% $66,000 Production and Operating Workers 17-2081 Environmental Engineers 174 17.1% $64,870 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers 135 8.3% $60,261 19-4091 Environmental Science and Protection 60 57.1% $45,692 Technicians, Including Health 49-9042 Maintenance and Repair Workers, 178 94.3% $43,997 General 51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, 99 50.8% $43,680 and Weighers 25-1199 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 50 8.7% $40,199 39-2021 Nonfarm Animal Caretakers 56 NA $37,086 15 P a g e
available specifically required at least a bachelor s degree or higher. The most in-demand green jobs that typically did not require a bachelor s degree included Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Maintenance and Repair Workers, and Inspectors and Testers. More than half of the webadvertised jobs required something less than a bachelor s degree. The median wages for those jobs ranged from $43,680 to $45,692. By comparison, the non-green in-demand vacancies offer a median salary of $41,500, nearly $11,500 less than the median for green jobs, but there are many of these in-demand jobs that offer good wages. Figure 19: Wage Profile of the 20 Most In-Demand Occupations in Arizona SOC Code Occupation Total Number of Non- Green Jobs Percentage of Jobs Requiring Less than BA (excluding norequirement) Median Salary 00-0000 All Non-Green Jobs 264,966 43.9% $41,500 13-2052 Personal Financial Advisors 2,731 45.0% $90,450 15-1031 Computer Software Engineers, Applications 3,522 8.8% $90,000 27-2012 Producers and Directors 2,793 11.8% $87,500 29-1122 Occupational Therapists 3,320 14.1% $85,280 29-1123 Physical Therapists 5,178 16.1% $81,120 15-1021 Computer Programmers 5,322 16.0% $75,000 11-9021 Construction Managers 2,698 12.2% $74,005 41-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers 5,079 29.7% $72,500 13-1111 Management Analysts 2,416 9.8% $67,521 29-1111 Registered Nurses 15,997 40.5% $65,520 11-2022 Sales Managers 3,613 59.7% $60,882 41-4012 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, 11,761 41.4% $60,000 Except Technical and Scientific Products 13-2011 Accountants 2,476 17.7% $55,000 35-1012 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Food Preparation and 3,472 78.6% $45,000 Serving Workers 41-2031 Retail Salespersons 10,872 67.6% $42,000 51-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Production and 2,584 44.7% $41,600 Operating Workers 43-1011 First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and 3,563 52.5% $39,500 Administrative Support Workers 49-9042 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 2,703 92.1% $32,500 43-6014 Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2,479 88.9% $30,000 43-4051 Customer Service Representatives 4,822 87.8% $27,040 16 P a g e
Most require skills in science, technology, engineering, and math-intensive occupations, offering thousands of job opportunities and wages of $60,000 or more, nearly 45 percent above the overall median salary offered for advertised jobs. Knowledge-Specific Content and Related Skills By BLS Green Categories Different green economic activities or industry clusters require unique knowledge, skills, and abilities. In Arizona, pollution reduction and recycling industries tend to focus on waste management, recycling, and water treatment. Within the natural resource conservation sector, many more workers were required to have knowledge about environmental sciences and environmental engineering. Among those involved with environmental compliance and training, the most common areas of expertise were environmental health and environmental regulation. In the renewable energy sector, workers are expected to have a broad background in renewable energy sources, especially related to solar, biofuels, and natural gas. Energy efficiency jobs were most likely to require knowledge content in energy management and energy efficiency techniques. Figure 20: Most Common Knowledge Content Requirements by Green Economic Activity Area Waste Management Recycling Water Treatment Environmental Protection Wastewater Treatment Environmental Monitoring Water Quality Environmental Science Environmental Engineering Natural Resources Environmental Management Hydrology Water Distribution Environmental Planning Environmental Health Environmental Regulations Clean Water/Clean Water Act Environmental Consulting Environmental Policy Clean Air Solar Sales Renewable Energy Solar Energy Biofuels Natural Gas Nuclear Energy Solar Panels Alternative Fuels Energy Management Energy Efficiency Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Retrofitting Energy Audits Energy Conservation Energy Engineering Pollution/Greenhouse Gas Reduction & Recycling/Reuse Natural Resources Conservation Environmental Compliance, Educ & Trng, & Public Awareness Energy from Renewable Sources Energy Efficiency 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 Number of Jobs 17 P a g e
Knowledge Content and Education for Green Job Vacancies The knowledge content required among green job vacancies varied widely by the type of job and level of education. Among the lowest skill green jobs (those requiring a high school degree or less), the most common knowledge and skills required included recycling, waste management, environmental science, water treatment, and energy auditing. Figure 21: Number of Postings for Top Green Knowledge Content Areas for Jobs Requiring at least a High School Diploma Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, & Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservation Energy Efficiency Recycling Waste Management Water Treatment Environmental Monitoring Wastewater Treatment Waste Reduction Waste Elimination Environmental Quality Environmental Hazard Water Quality Wastewater Collection Environmental Protection Environmental Science Environmental Management Environmental Engineering Water Distribution Resource Conservation Energy Audits Energy Management Iso 9001 Standards Retrofitting 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 18 P a g e
Among the middle skill green jobs (those requiring some college or an associate s degree), the highest concentration of jobs required waste management, recycling, environmental science, water treatment, and energy management knowledge. Figure 22: Number of Postings for Top Green Knowledge Content Areas for Jobs Requiring an Associate s Degree or Some College Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, & Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservatio n Energy Efficiency Waste Management Recycling Water Treatment Environmental Testing Environmental Science Environmental Engineering Energy Management Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Energy Efficiency 0 10 20 30 19 P a g e
Among the upper skill green jobs (those requiring a bachelor s degree), the highest concentration of jobs required environmental engineering, environmental science, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental health knowledge. Figure 23: Number of Postings for Top Green Knowledge Content Areas for Jobs Requiring a Bachelor s Degree Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, & Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservation Environmental Compliance, Education & Training, & Public Awareness Energy From Renewable Sources Energy Efficiency Waste Management Environmental Protection Wastewater Treatment Recycling Environmental Monitoring Environmental Testing Waste Reduction Environmental Engineering Environmental Science Hydrology Hydrogeology Environmental Management Environmental Planning Environmental Health Environmental Regulations Environmental Consulting Clean Air Environmental Policy Renewable Energy Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Alternative Energy Photovoltaic (PV) Systems Energy Management Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design Energy Audits Energy Consumption Energy Analysis 0 100 200 300 400 20 P a g e
Among the highest skill green jobs (those requiring a master s degree or higher), the highest concentration of jobs required environmental science, environmental policy, environmental engineering, natural resources, and environmental health. February 2011 Figure 24: Number of Postings for Top Green Knowledge Content Areas for Jobs Requiring at least a Master s Degree Pollution Reduction & Removal, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, & Recycling & Reuse Natural Resources Conservation Environmental Compliance, education and training, and public awareness Energy Efficiency Water Quality Recycling Water Treatment Environmental Science Environmental Engineering Natural Resources Environmental Planning Natural Resource Management Environmental Policy Environmental Health Clean Water Act Environmental Consulting Computational Fluid Dynamics Energy Conversion 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 21 P a g e
Job Vacancies in Arizona s Green Economy in 2010: The Bottom Line The results of our analysis suggest a number of current themes about Arizona s green economy: Demand for green employment is concentrated in service industries. The firms hiring the largest number of green employees in Arizona during the period of May to October 2010 represented a variety of industries. The industries include government contractors, solar technology, waste management, healthcare, education, hotels and tourism, and commercial real estate. At the broadest level, it is difficult to identify a typical green business in Arizona. Green businesses operate in a very diverse set of industries and regions and provide a diverse mix of employment and career opportunities. Most of Arizona s green jobs are located in service-related sectors and engineering related businesses and are large generators of green jobs. A large number of the current green job postings frequently require previous experience, a high level of education, as well as certification. Employers are looking for workers with experience as well as training. About half of green jobs required at least 4 years of experience compared to about one-third of all other jobs. Educational attainment is also a significant factor in hiring for green jobs. During the period of May to October 2010, 68 percent of green jobs required a Bachelor s Degree or a Graduate/Professional Degree. Overall, employers for green jobs are demanding applicants that have greater experience, higher education, and more specific technical skills than employers seeking workers for other occupations. The formal infrastructure of education, training, and certification is still developing for green-related jobs. Currently, 20 percent of green jobs require a green or non-green certification; however, as green industry standards continue to emerge, it is likely that the number of certified workers will increase. Salaries are greater for experienced green workers. For those reporting this data, a significant portion of green job postings indicated average annual wages above the statewide median. In fact, the labor market information (LMI) data revealed that the median annual salary in Arizona for current green job openings was $52,993 during the period, nearly 28 percent above the median for all advertised jobs. 22 P a g e