Green Economy Occupation One-Pagers

Background

The U.S. economy is in the process of transitioning from conventional energy sources to renewable energy production and usage. Supported by shifting market forces and partially assisted by public policy, significant portions of the American economy are shifting away from carbon-intensive, fossil fuel driven activities toward cleaner, more efficient, and higher-output ones. As noted by the Brookings Institution report ‘Advancing Inclusion Through Clean Energy Jobs (2019)’, the labor associated with the clean energy economy ranges from assembly-line workers manufacturing energy-saving products to tradesman constructing energy-efficient buildings to technicians operating renewable energy facilities. The projected expansion of the clean energy sector has significant implications on regional labor markets.

The Brookings Institute identified 320 unique occupations in 11 Major Groups that comprise the Green Economy. The different occupations that make up the Green Economy are incredibly broad, ranging from skilled manufacturers and technicians to financial and business support services. Additional information on Brookings’ methodology is available here. The Voorhees Center also produced a report evaluating the strength of these Green Economy industries in the Chicago Region that you can find here.

One-Pager Content

The table below allows you to download one-pagers summarizing key information about Green Economy occupations in the Chicago Region. These one-pagers utilize the US Department of Labor’s ONET Database, the nation’s main source for occupational data, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), which provides annual employment and wage estimates. Detailed economic data from OEWS are available for 264 of the 320 occupations in the Green Economy (83%), documenting information on Job Zones, technologies, certifications, employment, and the main tasks associated with the job.

Learn how to read these one-pagers (PDF)

Explore One-Pagers

The table can be used to sort and search for different occupations and view each occupation’s one-pager. Users can sort occupations by Major Group, educational attainment needed, or by economic data, including job totals and median annual wage. The table also includes whether an occupation falls within one or more Green Economy subcategories: Clean Energy Production (e.g. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators), Energy Efficiency (e.g. Roofers), or Environmental Management (e.g. Agricultural Inspectors).

Each column title can be sorted ascending or descending by clicking on the title or the arrows next to them. The search button in the top right can be used to search for any specific piece of information. The buttons in the top left can be used to copy or download the contents of the table to another format. Below each column title, the search bars can be used to filter specific columns. For example, by searching in the “Education Needed” column for High School Diploma, the 97 occupations that require a minimum of a High School Diploma are returned (note, this can also be achieved by using the search bar in the top right). Finally, click on any occupation to open up the associated one-pager.

Download all one-pagers (PDF)