Workers in the automotive industry will find it easier to direct their job search activities to occupations in green industries as a result of a research grant awarded the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the $765,000 Recovery Act grant to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development to create labor market data to assess economic activity in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries and identify occupations and skill requirements within those industries.

The focus of the research is to assist workers affected by significant automotive-related
restructurings to connect to career pathways in green industries.

“This Recovery Act research grant will enhance our ability to inform
job seekers and training providers about the job skills required and
the growing needs of employers in the green jobs sector,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “The research funded by this grant funds will help us better assist Tennesseans looking for employment opportunities in this growing area.”

“Tennessee is identifying itself as a leader in the developing green industries,” said Commissioner James Neeley. “The research made possible by the grant will be a welcome boost to the department’s efforts to assist displaced workers who are looking for new careers and need help identifying areas where skills shortages exist.”

The Tennessee Recovery Act LMI Improvement Grant will gather and
disseminate findings on employment data in established and new green
job opportunities. The survey will focus on public and private interest in renewable transportation, sustainable agriculture, and federal funding focused on the state’s burgeoning green economy.

This survey will expand on prior green studies (Growing Green: the Potential for Green Job Growth in Tennessee 2008) by providing current estimates for the number of green jobs and green job vacancies within
the 13 labor and workforce investment areas of Tennessee. A focus of the grant is to help workers affected by significant automotive-related restructurings connect to career pathways in green industries.

“Our Career Center system is an excellent resource for disseminating
this kind of information so they can get additional training and certifications to enter this exciting growth market,” said Mr. Neeley.

The results of the analysis will be issued in a new report as well as
integrated into the Tennessee Department of Labor’s labor market
information web site. Job openings provided in each local Career Center will reflect the job position’s relation to green industries.

The department is also expected to create enhanced online tools to post resumes for those certified in green occupations.

Labor’s report on green jobs released in November 2008, Growing Green: the Potential for Green Job Growth in Tennessee 2008, can be found on the internet at
http://www.tennessee.gov/labor-wfd/Publications/EmploymentSecurity/GrowingGreenInTN2008.pdf.

For more information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, visit www.tnrecovery.gov.