The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders whose mission is to spur a clean energy revolution in order to create millions of high-quality, green-collar jobs.

Paul Angelides, chair of the Apollo Alliance, defines green-collar job in this way:  “It has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family.  It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility.  And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment.”

This definition includes many of the areas that Perkins focuses on.  Perkins IV requires states to prepare students for employment in high demand, high wage, and high skill careers that are in, or lead to careers in, emerging fields.  We can all agree that “green” is the new and emerging field of the moment;  and the Apollo Alliance’s requirement that these jobs pay decent wages and be family supporting may satisfy the high wage component of Perkins.

Their inclusion of a “career path” also fits in nicely with CTE’s efforts in career pathways and the career cluster framework.  It is important that individuals have clear direction as they acquire skills and knowledge, gain employment, and move up in the green industry, as in any industry.

Tags: green jobs, Job training, Perkins, Public Policy

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