Making Green Work: Best Practices in Green-Collar Job Training
This guidebook disseminates best practices and lessons learned for designing and implementing green-collar job training programs. Based on programs in California including but not limited to the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, this guidebook strives to assist workforce development professionals and government officials in creating, launching, and managing green-collar training programs.
This guidebook begins with an overview of the concept of green-collar jobs by providing key definitions of the term from leading advocates and highlights examples of green-collar jobs and differentiates them from "white collar" green jobs. Following the overview of green-collar jobs, the guidebook identifies key components of green-collar training programs based on case studies of green-collar training programs in California. The key components include:
- Assessments of Opportunities for Green-Collar Jobs in Your Area
- Cross-Sector Partnerships
- Funding
- Comprehensive Curriculum
- Target Participants and Recruitment
- Eligibility Requirements and Admissions
- Wrap-around support services
- Measures of Success and Evaluation
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- Credentials/Accreditations
The guidebook also includes seven case studies of the green-collar training programs in California and discusses key program elements including program model, partnerships and funding, elements of the curriculum, challenges and lessons learned, and more. Following the program examples, the guidebook discusses public policy measures critical to developing and implementing green-collar training programs and the creation of green-collar jobs.
Making Green Work: Best Practices in Green-Collar Job Training

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