Growing a Clean Economy

This study was conducted by Smart Growth America (SGA) to assess job opportunities within Atlanta’s emerging clean economy sectors, and to provide insights on potential equitable workforce development strategies while promoting energy-efficient programs associated with relevant policies described across the study's research. The project, which is led by the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE) and is a part of the Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity (CCHE) initiative, is focused on how to advance racial equity and shared prosperity with a particular focus on six zip codes in southwest Atlanta that have been impacted disproportionately by environmental hazards and health disparities. The full report, case studies highlighting exemplary national initiatives providing job training opportunities, and factsheets for clean economy job seekers can be found  here .

Upping the urgency on account of IRA

On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the  Inflation Reduction Act  (IRA) into law, which allocates an estimated $370 billion in climate-related funding to the following priorities: clean-energy tax credits, rebates for electric vehicles and clean energy at home, investments into a green bank, rewards for methane emissions reduction, and a broad swath of environmental justice initiatives. As the nation transitions towards this significant investment, a high-capacity workforce prepared to execute, maintain, and monitor the clean economy will be required. And with the compounding effects of the global pandemic, economic recession, social unrest, and worsening climate change threats, there has never been a more urgent need to advance clean jobs that are fair and accessible in the years ahead.

In recent years, the City of Atlanta has embraced the transition to a cleaner economy by adopting policies, plans, and programs that prioritize the efficient use of energy, reducing polluting emissions, preserving natural resources, and ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable future for the city. ¹  These policies which address both mitigation and adaptation are key for addressing the climate crisis, and will also improve livability and offer important economic development benefits. Through local and regional plans and policies such as  Resilient Atlanta ,  One Atlanta Strategic Transportation Plan ,  Clean Energy Atlanta , the  Downtown Sustainability Action Plan , the  Regional Development Plan , and  Atlanta’s Comprehensive Development Plan , the city and region have set proactive frameworks and targets that are meant to drive clean economic growth while addressing shocks and stresses arising from the impacts of climate change.

Investments in new technologies, the creation of workforce training programs, the expansion of scholarships and apprenticeship programs, and increased collaboration among technical colleges and trades to ramp up Atlanta’s clean jobs workforce are some of the ambitious initiatives that will lead to achieving  Resolution No. 17-R-3510 –a resolution to achieve a 100 percent clean energy transition for municipal operations and community-wide by 2035. This resolution, passed unanimously by the Atlanta City Council in 2017, makes Atlanta the 27th city in the country to commit to achieving a 100 percent clean energy transition for municipal operations by 2025 and community-wide by 2035. In 2022, the  EPA also ranked Atlanta  in the top three U.S. metropolitan areas—behind the District of Columbia and Los Angeles—with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings, with 342 of the city’s commercial and multifamily buildings contributing to reduced carbon emissions and energy cost savings. These policies are part of an ecosystem of civic activism and thought leadership advancing the clean energy transition, such as  Drawdown Georgia , which brings high-impact climate solutions to communities in Georgia; Atlanta Regional Commission’s  Green Communities Program , which assists local governments in decreasing operational carbon emissions through building portfolio efficiency and clean energy opportunities; and  Solarize Atlanta , which makes solar-powered energy more accessible and affordable for more homes and businesses across Atlanta.

Atlanta is active in a number of networks of cities committed to climate action, including the  Resilient Cities Network  (previously the 100 Resilient Cities network), Bloomberg Philanthropies’  American Cities Climate Challenge , and the Climate Mayors network. These associations demonstrate climate leadership through meaningful actions in their communities to become more resilient to physical, social, and economic shocks and stresses, and offer opportunities for network-based learning. In order to make economic activity ‘cleaner,’ a wide range of industry sectors have been increasingly integrating specialized skills and emerging technologies to reduce the environmental impacts, increase efficiencies, and lessen the consumption of scarce natural resources in their operations. Based on historical trends and the policies that have been recently enacted in Atlanta, there are three high-growth areas of the clean economy that are likely to have the greatest job growth potential over the next 10 to 20 years.

These high growth areas include:

Under the City of Atlanta’s 100% Clean Energy Plan, the Advisory Board has prioritized assessing clean job opportunities and providing education and promotion of energy-efficient programs. The Green Infrastructure (GI) Task Force, created under the City of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, is working to integrate green infrastructure throughout the city as well. This study was conducted to assess job opportunities within Atlanta’s emerging clean economy sectors, and to provide insights on potential workforce development strategies while promoting energy-efficient programs associated with the 100% Clean Energy Plan, Water Equity Roadmap strategy, and other relevant policies described across the following sections of this report. Although Atlanta’s leadership has articulated its commitment to scale and implement climate solutions, these goals are accompanied by a substantial challenge: overcoming a shortage of skills and training. Of the thirteen established policy and programmatic vehicles that are meant to advance Atlanta’s clean economy goals, eleven make mention of workforce goals, but only six of the thirteen actually list actionable steps for the workforce transition needed to achieve the City’s clean economy goals. These needs include, but are not limited to, additional staff capacity, technical assistance, and increased outreach to and educational opportunities for community members. Further, only eight of the thirteen plans acknowledge the importance of prioritizing equity in a clean economy transition, as there is a disproportionate energy burden on Atlanta’s low-income communities. Of those eight plans which mention equity, only two outline priority actions to address inequities, beyond recognition of needed continued work on income and race disparities in the region. Without supportive policies in place, it is unlikely that workforce development opportunities will be equitable and easily accessible to low-income or Black communities that have been disadvantaged and marginalized by past policies. Equitable workforce development policies and programs will be critical to supporting Atlanta’s community members in gaining skills in these high-growth sectors and ultimately advancing Atlanta’s clean energy transition.

This project, which is led by the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE) and is a part of the Kresge Foundation’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity (CCHE) initiative, is focused on how to advance racial equity and shared prosperity with a particular focus on six zip codes in Atlanta that have been impacted disproportionately by environmental hazards and health disparities to analyze the areas for potential workforce development in clean energy. By assessing the potential outcomes regarding the future clean economy, the study identified some of the key issues that could generate inequitable outcomes and limit the potential for wealth creation and retention in lower-income neighborhoods. The study also sought to explore how community-based organizations and local governments can add capacity for community members to most equitably access opportunities in the growing clean economy.

As pictured above, the six focus zip codes (30310, 30311, 30314, 30315, 30336, 30354) are located in the southwestern portion of Atlanta. These zip codes encompass a wide range of neighborhoods—broadly between Downtown Atlanta and Hapeville, Georgia, which is a community near Hartsfield-Jackson Airport—including Peoplestown, Capitol View, West End, Sylvan Hills, Fort McPherson, and Venetian Hills.

• Many of these neighborhoods host nationally-significant academic and civic institutions that have anchored the community for over a century, like the Atlanta University Center.
• The total population in each of the six focus zip codes significantly decreased between 2000 and 2010 and, although they have more recently experienced an inflow of residents, they have not yet returned to the population levels in the 2000s.
• The median household income (MHI) in the six focus zip codes across the southwestern portion of the city was about half of the overall city’s median income in 2019 —as were the median home values (MHV) and average earnings. ² 

Due to pervasive cycles of disinvestment over the past decades, many of the vacant properties across these neighborhoods have been taken over by investors who are currently holding them until the ongoing development of the  Atlanta BeltLine  raises the area’s property prices, after which many of them are expected to sell to other parties or investors at a high premium. The Atlanta BeltLine was originally envisioned as “a 22-mile loop of trails, transit, and greenspace that will transform the City and become a centerpiece for sustainable growth and connectivity” over the course of 25 years, beginning in 2005. While some parts of this trail that intersect the focus zip codes have  already been completed , such as the three mile Westside Trail, other segments—including the Southside Trail—are still under development.   Investors holding vacant properties  is detrimental to these neighborhoods, and residents, especially renters, because it raises property values but does not advance the causes of neighborhood revitalization or historic preservation.

ore urgent need to advance clean jobs that are fair and accessible in the years ahead.

The City of Atlanta is within the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which is comprised of 29 counties. Metropolitan statistical areas are useful geographies for data collection and comparison and are designated as places that consist of one or more counties with a city of 50,000 or more people. The percent of the population identifying as a racial minority in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell MSA is 47 percent while the average in the focus zip codes is 91 percent as of 2020. The neighborhoods with the highest rates of lower-income households in Atlanta are the ones with the longest average distance to grocery stores while having the lowest access to vehicles, which further illustrates physical barriers in the built environment that many southwest Atlanta residents have to overcome to meet basic necessities like nutritious foods, quality household products, and other basic necessities.

Racist land use and development policy, compounded by historic cycles of disinvestment, have resulted in the disparate economic outcomes in Atlanta today. Currently, residents in southwest Atlanta have significantly lower incomes, employment rates, and educational attainment levels than residents city-wide. As new scientific and technological advances continue to be made toward cleaner energy generation, transportation, manufacturing, and other areas of the economy, the existing socioeconomic gaps will only continue to widen unless local and regional leaders commit to investing the necessary resources to prepare local workers to be competitive in these emerging fields and occupations.

If residents are not provided with opportunities and resources to achieve competence in these areas, the inequitable growth of the workforce is likely to continue to reinforce historic inequities.

The continued expansion of the clean economy represents a significant opportunity for the creation of entry-level jobs with upward mobility potential for individuals that have been historically excluded from pathways for wealth-building. As the nation transitions towards cleaner energy generation, there is likely to be significant investment in clean energy, infrastructure, and environmental management projects throughout the country, which will require a  high-capacity workforce  prepared to execute, maintain, and monitor every component of the process.

In order to support Atlanta’s current and future workers’ participation in the growing clean economy, this study analyzes the areas for potential workforce development and job creation impact of new clean energy and sustainability policies in the City of Atlanta. By assessing the potential outcomes of existing plans and policies that can lead to job creation in the future clean economy, the study identified some of the key issues that could limit the potential for clean jobs and wealth creation and retention in lower-income neighborhoods, and determine what kinds of support community members with lower incomes will need to be able to participate in the growing clean economy moving forward. With the compounding effects of the global pandemic, economic recession, social unrest, and worsening climate change threats, there has never been a more urgent need to advance clean jobs that are fair and accessible in the years ahead.

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The term ‘clean economy’ is broadly used to describe  economic activities  that contribute to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. Occupations or lines of work within the clean economy might include those that relate to renewable energy, recycling, clean manufacturing and design, transportation, green infrastructure, pollution remediation, waste management, and agriculture, among others. Generally speaking, these segments of the economy are responsible for supplying technologies, products, and services that have measurable environmental benefits in terms of their abilities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve both energy and resource efficiency.

Jobs in these sectors will support goals to reduce emissions and protect communities from the harmful impacts of climate change, and proactive city governments are increasingly focusing on these opportunities in economic growth goals and plans.

Clean energy remains the most  prominent job creator  across America’s energy sector, employing nearly three times as many workers as the fossil fuel industry—which includes fossil fuel extraction and generation. More Americans work in clean energy than work as middle and elementary school teachers, bankers, farmers, or real estate agents.  Median hourly wages for clean energy jobs  are 25 percent higher than the national median wage, and generally pay better than most fossil fuel extraction jobs. As both policy and the market responds to the demand and need for more clean energy solutions, this trend in employment will only become more pronounced.

More Americans work in clean energy than work as middle and elementary school teachers, bankers, farmers, or real estate agents. - Roosevelt Institute, 2020

The outlook for the national clean economy looks bright despite the COVID-19 crisis’ impacts

E2’s Clean Jobs America 2021 reports that the U.S. clean energy job sector fell more than 11 percent in 2020 as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions prevented energy efficiency workers from entering commercial and residential buildings. Overall, renewable energy jobs fell by nearly 6 percent. Wind energy employment increased slightly, but solar employment fell due to declines in residential solar sales and installation. As a result of the pandemic’s detrimental economic impacts, strong policies to support businesses struggling during COVID-19 at the national, state, and local levels have been implemented and have contributed to the recovery of the clean economy sector. Employment levels started to recover as early as the fourth quarter of 2020.

Various definitions for the clean (sometimes referred to as the ‘green’) economy exist, though a single accepted definition detailing and tracking employment within specific sectors, even at the national level, does not exist. This research relies on the definition outlined by the Brookings Institution, which builds upon the definition outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  According to the BLS , clean jobs are either “jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources” or “jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources”. The Brookings Institution worked to define and quantify the clean economy on a nationwide basis along similar lines as “economic activity measured in terms of establishments and the jobs associated with them that (a) produce goods and services with an environmental benefit, or (b) adds value to such products using skills or technologies that are uniquely applied to those products.” The most in-demand jobs and skills are delineated using occupational codes which group together jobs with shared skill sets to help quantify sectors of the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system which is a federal statistical standard used to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data. All workers are classified into one of 867 detailed occupations according to their occupational definition. Detailed occupations in the SOC with similar job duties, and in some cases skills, education, and/or training, are grouped together.

Atlanta has adopted bold policies and plans to address challenging climate realities, namely through reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to clean energy, and protecting, restoring, and accentuating green infrastructure. These efforts have supported the clean economy which has a greater proportion of higher paying jobs for those with lower educational qualifications when compared to other industries. On average,  employment within the clean economy  has hourly wages which exceed national average wages by eight to 19 percent and nearly 50 percent of workers do not have more than a high school diploma. Atlanta’s efforts to grow a strong, clean economy and build vibrant and resilient communities are reflected in the frameworks, goals, and strategies outlined in the Table 2 below.

Table 2. Key city and state plans

Table 2 outlines thirteen of Atlanta’s most significant plans that seek to address sustainable development, economic mobility, energy efficiency and preparedness, enhanced green space, and pathways to improved quality of life of all of Atlanta’s residents. Despite these efforts, the  American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy  (ACEEE), a national nonprofit that seeks to “advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors in order to help achieve greater economic prosperity, and environmental protection,” reports that it is currently impossible to determine if the City of Atlanta has created a  formal role for marginalized community  residents or local organizations representing those communities to participate in decision-making that affects the creation or implementation of a local energy, sustainability, or climate action plan.”

Yes, these policy changes are likely to bring clean jobs to Atlanta and present significant opportunities for Atlanta’s current and future workforce. Based on the enacted policies impacting Atlanta, there are three different areas of the clean economy that are likely to have the greatest job growth potential. The anticipated high growth areas within the clean economy include:

ENERGY EFFICIENCY - Includes manufacturing and enhancing products, systems, or services that reduce the amount of energy consumed, which can include energy-efficient buildings, appliances, vehicles, and other equipment.

SOLAR ENERGY - Within the clean energy generation sector. Includes the process of converting solar energy to electricity, from solar panel manufacturing and scientific research and advancements to sales, marketing, and installation.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE - Within the environmental management sector. Includes the design and implementation of any infrastructure used to manage storm water by capturing it where it falls with natural elements including, but not limited to, green roofs, bioswales, rainwater harvesting, and permeable pavement.

Although the above-mentioned plans and policies set out the city’s goals to invest in efficient systems, renewables, and green infrastructure, most of them do not lay out specific actions for workforce transition and training, even if they mention it, and many of them don’t report the expected impact on the local workforce. Of the thirteen plans analalyzed:

11/13 Mention workforce goals, acknowledging a need for training opportunities and scholarship and apprenticeship programs.

6/13 Offer tactics for implementing employment solutions. Of these, the majority discuss the need to train and transition employees from other industries. 8/13 Acknowledge the importance of prioritizing equity in a clean economy transition, as there is a disproportionate energy burden on Atlanta’s low-income communities. 2/13 Outline priority actions to address these inequities, beyond recognition of needed continued work on income and race disparities in the region.

Utility costs impose a disproportionate burden on households in the six focus zip-codes where residents have median incomes that are 51 percent lower than the city as a whole, and who are rent overburdened with nearly a third of households paying over 50 percent of their total monthly income on rent.

Detailed research comparing the clean economy across states or regions is not frequently conducted largely due to a lack of comparable data, or even research at the national level. ²  The most recent comprehensive and disaggregated (by Metropolitan Statistical Area) study on the clean economy was conducted in 2011 by The Brookings Institution; while this study remains an important resource, the clean economy, and policies advancing the clean energy transition, have advanced significantly since a decade ago, limiting the report’s utility today. However, the study remains useful in understanding trends in the clean economy across the country and in delineating occupations within the clean economy.  This study  ranked the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metro area as the most diverse metropolitan area clean economy in the nation with jobs spread across 39 segments of the clean economy. The metro area was also rated as the seventh largest metro clean economy in the country with employment clustered in green architecture and construction services. Other moderately clustered segments of the clean economy include recycled content products, green building materials, water efficient products, green chemical products, battery technologies, and appliances.

As the cost of many clean technologies decrease and demand for clean energy and efficient technologies are paired with supportive policies and investments, jobs in this sector will continue to be on the rise. To understand how employment in Atlanta’s clean economy has changed over the last ten years, this study conducted an analysis of employment within occupational codes in different sectors of the clean economy. ^{3, 4}  In total, between the years 2011 and 2020, employment in the clean economy in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) increased by 13 percent (31,300 jobs), nearly keeping pace with the actual population increase. During this time the population of the MSA increased by 15 percent, and the total number of people employed in the labor force increased by 17 percent. Jobs in energy efficiency grew the most over this time period experiencing a growth of 15 percent, or 20,656 jobs. The changes in the three key categories of the clean economy can be seen in the table below. The area that saw the highest workforce expansion in the Atlanta MSA was energy efficiency, with a growth of 15.1 percent, or 20,656 additional jobs available during the same period.

As of 2019, the city of Atlanta comprised 8.6 percent of the employed population in the MSA and 8.9 percent of the MSA population 16 and older. Between 2011 and 2019, the city’s share of the MSA’s employees increased at a faster rate than its share of the population - meaning that jobs were coming to the city at an even faster rate than people were moving there.

Extrapolating these trends, it is estimated that in the next ten years the city of Atlanta will continue to expand its labor force at a faster rate than the MSA (meaning that Atlanta’s share of the MSA’s employment would be at least 9.4 percent in 2029), and will thus capture a larger share of the estimated increase in clean economy jobs. Even with Atlanta capturing a larger share of clean economy jobs at 9.4 percent of all new clean economy jobs until 2029 (see Table 5), past trends would only indicate that an additional 3,338 jobs would be coming to the city of Atlanta. Additional clean economy jobs available in other parts of the MSA may be available to those in the focus zip codes, though transportation poses a challenge to accessing these jobs. The MSA encompasses 29 counties and covers a large geographic footprint spanning more than 130 miles north and south and over 140 miles east and west. Thus, even for the 63 percent of people who rely on a personal vehicle to drive alone to work, jobs in the vast majority of the MSA are not feasible for daily commutes both in terms of time and cost.

While growth in the clean economy has been modest in the last ten years, past job growth is not the only predictor for the number of jobs that will become available over the next 10 years in Atlanta. Strong policies and programs in Atlanta, in the last five years especially, have prioritized clean economy activities. These job-creating policies mean the number of jobs available in the next ten years will exceed those created in the previous ten years. Clean Energy Atlanta is one of the only plans in place in Atlanta that provides an estimate of jobs that will be provided as a result of the programs and policies proposed. The plan estimated the addition of 8,000 jobs as the city transitions to 100 percent clean energy between 2017 and 2035.

Based on past trends in the clean economy within the Atlanta MSA, and plans and associated policies and programs in place, the following jobs and skills are projected to be the most in demand in the next 10-20 years in the three identified key areas of the clean economy. These jobs and associated skills expected to be most in demand can be seen in the jobs detailed in Tables 7 - 9. In the next section, the educational requirements and expected average wages of each of these occupations are also given in Tables 11 - 13. The skills and associated educational requirements in each of the three areas of the clean economy range from manual labor to more technical skill sets that can often be learned through vocational training or on-the-job training programs. Occupations within the clean economy often employ similar skill sets to those across other more established sectors of the economy, though some retraining or specialized training may be required. For example, jobs in energy efficiency or clean energy can be found within other industry categories including engineering, construction, management, architecture, and others, even if the words ‘energy’ or ‘efficiency’ are not part of the job title. In some cases where jobs are posted which include exposure to the clean economy, job applicants with some skills related to the clean economy, or at least an interest in or understanding of the clean economy, may have an edge in the hiring process. Top growth occupations within the clean energy sector of the clean economy include those that are explicitly related to solar energy, such as solar photovoltaic installers, but also span other broad skill sets in engineering and different types of equipment management.

1. Energy Efficiency

Jobs in energy efficiency are broadly defined as jobs that “cover both the production and installation of any products or services that reduce the amount of energy used.” These types of products can include energy-efficient buildings, appliances, vehicles, and other equipment and infrastructure, all of which require design, engineering, installation, customer services and maintenance. Working in energy efficiency offers good opportunities for professional growth and competitive compensation, as well as the chance to contribute to the mitigation of the greenhouse gas emissions which are leading to climate change. Jobs in energy efficiency can be found within other industry categories like engineering, construction, management, architecture, and many others, even if the words ‘energy’ or ‘efficiency’ are not part of the job title. For example, about 1 out of 5 (17 percent) construction workers across the country do something related to energy efficiency even if their job title doesn’t reflect that. In America, about half of all jobs in energy efficiency are generally related to construction, 20 percent to professional services, and 14 percent to manufacturing. Most energy efficiency jobs can actually be found within more ‘traditional’ energy sectors — like electricity, geological, or hydrologic —but in order to be considered an energy-efficient job, the scope of the position must be focused on or contribute to the reduction of the amount, cost, and environmental impact of energy production and operations to some extent. Atlanta has adopted bold policies to act on climate change, including achieving a 100% clean energy transition for municipal operations and community-wide by 2035. These policies will lead to the increased need for professional services related to energy efficiency and mean that Atlanta is likely to offer more jobs in this sector than other cities and towns without these types of policies in place. Efficiency was the energy sector that saw the highest job growth in Atlanta between 2011 and 2020. The number of local jobs specifically within the energy efficiency sector (whether construction, professional services, manufacturing, or another category) grew by 15 percent (20,656 additional jobs) over the past decade. This means that there are more opportunities within this sector than ever before and young people in Atlanta should consider entering one of these careers, as there will continue to be increasing demand for these skills.

2. Solar Energy

Solar energy jobs are within the clean energy generation sector and include all positions involved in the process of converting solar energy to electricity, from solar manufacturing and scientific research and advancements to sales, marketing and installation. For example, solar manufacturing is the process of making system components such as solar modules, inverters, racking equipment, batteries, and other important components of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system (solar panels to generate electricity directly from sunlight). According to the 2020 National Solar Jobs Census, workers in manufacturing jobs represented 14 percent of all industry employment, while sales and distribution, and operations and maintenance represented 11 percent and 4 percent of all jobs, respectively. The U.S. solar industry employed 231,474 workers in 2020, with a trajectory to reach 400,000 solar jobs by 2030. As of 2017, the state of Georgia had a very low concentration of energy employment with only 1.4 percent of Georgia’s state employment being in the energy sector compared to 2.4 percent of national employment. Additionally, only 1.4 percent of the nation’s electric power generation jobs are in Georgia, though solar makes up the largest segment of the state’s electric power. Educational and job training requirements are then presented based on  O*Net data  for each occupational code. After a 30 percent increase in jobs over the previous year, in 2019 Georgia ranked No. 1 in solar jobs growth in the Solar Foundation’s Solar Jobs Census. This ranking, the most recent available from the foundation, also placed Georgia sixth in total solar manufacturing employment. Atlanta’s plans and policies aim to make clean energy system operations more efficient, resilient, and conducive to continued growth and economic prosperity, and they are likely to lead to increased interest in solar from commercial, residential, institutional, and utility groups, leading to demand for solar sales, installation, and maintenance. The cost of solar in Atlanta is expected to decline into the future and decline faster as more solar is deployed. As a result, more homes and businesses may find it attractive to go solar, leading to further growth in this job sector.

Nearly all solar jobs require familiarity with basic practices of the industry, construction, or electrical knowledge. This familiarity can be acquired through apprenticeship, internships, and other educational initiatives through vocational schools and universities. The personal skills of communication, ability to follow directions, attention to detail, and customer service can be gained through educational exposure and practice. Compensation in the solar industry is comparable with similar occupations in other energy industries and higher than U.S. averages for most of the same positions, making these opportunities lucrative and attractive for young members of the workforce.

3. Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure includes plantings and structural elements that manage storm water by capturing it where it falls, directing it, and improving water quality through natural processes. Types of green infrastructure include but are not limited to, green roofs, bioswales, rainwater harvesting systems, rain gardens, and permeable pavement. Green infrastructure can look like a row of trees along a major city street, greening an alleyway, constructing a wetland near a residential housing complex, or protecting large open natural spaces and wetlands. When green infrastructure systems are installed throughout a community, city, or across a regional watershed, they can provide cleaner air and water as well as significant value for the community with flood protection, diverse habitat, and beautiful green spaces.

When it rains, impervious surfaces, like rooftops and asphalt, prevent rainwater from soaking into the soil, causing storm water runoff. The storm water collects litter, oil, excess nutrients from fertilizers, and sediments as it flows across the ground causing pollution in the groundwater and local water sources. Green infrastructure investments can clean and recharge groundwater, reduce potable water demand, and mitigate some of the heat island effects of dense urban areas. Green infrastructure also has many social benefits by increasing exposure to the natural environment, reducing exposure to harmful substances and conditions, and providing opportunities for recreation and physical activity. All across the nation, cities are proving that green infrastructure is a holistic approach to flood mitigation, can improve water quality cost effectively, and can make communities healthier, safer, and more livable, while also spurring economic development. Permeable pavement is one way to reduce storm water run-off, and through the Southeast Atlanta Green Infrastructure Initiative, the Department of Watershed Management implemented approximately six miles of permeable pavers in the communities of Peoplestown, Mechanicsville, and Summerhill, resulting in nearly 5 million gallons of storm water runoff to be captured. Careers in hardscaping—or the nonliving portion of a landscape—may range from installer to designer to entrepreneur, where entry-level positions often require a high school diploma or previous experience in landscaping. For career growth in green infrastructure, employers may prefer candidates who have earned certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or accreditation from the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP). Additional desirable skills may include creative thinking, design sensibility, project management, and experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Careers focused on the design of green infrastructure such as landscape architects, horticulturalists, hydrologists, and engineers, typically require Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees and certification or accreditation programs. Since 2017, the City of Atlanta’s adoption of the Green Infrastructure Strategic Action Plan through the City’s Department of Watershed Management has been supplementing traditional gray storm water infrastructure systems (simply described as pavement and pipes) with innovative green infrastructure solutions both for private development as well as capital improvement projects that are aesthetically appealing, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. The Department of Watershed Management currently has more than 1400 employees, with 48 percent of those employees eligible for retirement in the next five to ten years, so efforts to recruit skilled workers will be increasing in the coming years.

Between the years 2011 and 2020, environmental management jobs in the Atlanta MSA increased by 14.3 percent and are estimated to increase by 4,950 jobs by 2029. Job types that fully focus on green infrastructure or include green infrastructure-related skills can include construction, landscaping and groundskeeping, urban forestry, tree care, ecological restoration, maintenance and repair, mechanics, engineering, and landscape architecture, among others. The vast majority of jobs in these occupations (with the exception of environmental engineering, landscape architecture, and construction management) are accessible to workers who do not have a four-year college degree. Because of these relatively accessible education barriers, green infrastructure occupations can offer workforce development opportunities. As the sector continues to expand and mature, candidates with specific “green infrastructure” skills or certifications may be preferred, so expanding training opportunities will be especially important. Notably, understanding of proper maintenance and management of green infrastructure is critical to the system’s functioning, providing the expected flood protection and remaining pleasant and attractive to community members.

The clean economy broadly mirrors the larger economy as there are a range of educational requirements for occupations ranging from having no educational requirements to graduate degree requirements. Within the occupations analyzed in the clean economy, only 37 percent of jobs require either a bachelor’s or master’s degree. However, while many occupations do not require high levels of formal education, almost a third (29 percent) typically require a high school degree plus some type of post-secondary education or training. The preference for some sort of apprenticeship, certification, or training can still represent a barrier for those who are not aware of such opportunities.

This labor market dynamic also provides an important opportunity to counteract income inequality, by opening up job opportunities with family-supporting wages for “middle-skilled” workers, including those who have struggled during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding outreach and support for apprenticeships and creating pathways between high schools and job programs are thus critical in connecting potential employees in the six focus zip codes in Atlanta to in-demand jobs. Average annual salaries for occupations in each of the three areas of the clean economy can be seen in the figures below. There is a clustering of occupations with salaries between $38k/year and $56k/year though there is a significant proportion of occupations both above and below this range. Georgia’s minimum wage is set at the Federal Minimum of $7.25 an hour which is only around $15k/year. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment or home in Atlanta was $1,223 as of 2020, meaning that rent alone would cost $14,676.9 Occupations in the clean economy, therefore, offer an opportunity to earn higher wages with many opportunities coming with limited educational barriers.

The average salaries in Atlanta, and the national salary range and common educational requirements for the occupations that will be most in demand are shown in detail in Tables 11 - 13. These are the same occupations as those shown in Tables 7 - 9 which detailed the common job titles and descriptions. The educational requirements and average salaries among these most in-demand occupations reflect the trends across the three sectors of the clean economy more broadly as well. While some occupations require higher levels of education, there are many opportunities for those with high school degrees or vocational training. While the salaries for the occupations with fewer educational requirements tend to be lower in general, especially for entry-level positions, there are still opportunities to earn higher wages as an employee progresses in their career.

The clean economy in Atlanta could present many opportunities to the residents of the six focus zip codes PSE is supporting within the Climate Change, Health and Equity initiative, especially within the energy efficiency, solar energy, and green infrastructure sectors. Many city plans and strategies state ambitious greenhouse gas reductions targets and other sustainability goals, and a few reference the need to support community members in training for these clean economy jobs. However, clearly stated intentions to expand workforce programs in Atlanta are largely missing from the city’s plans and policies. Some non-profit organizations and community-based organizations in Atlanta have offered workforce training focused on clean jobs, such as the  Urban Green Jobs initiative  co-created by the Nature Conservancy and Habesha; the  Southface Institute , which has co-hosted green buildings job trainings with Booker T. Washington High School; the  Greening Youth Foundation , which engages under-represented youth while connecting them to careers in conservation; the EPA in partnership with City of East Point to offer  environmental workforce development  job training and classes; and the National Wildlife Federation’s  Earth First  youth-centered leadership development program. While these trainings have been important resources to the community, they are not scaled to meet the needs of existing community members given the likely growth in opportunity in clean jobs in Atlanta. Although Atlanta’s clean economy vision—and relevant policies to support this vision—presents an enormous opportunity for local workers to enter high-potential careers and contribute to the environmental mitigation and adaptation efforts of their community, the transition will only be successful if there are proactive steps taken to ensure that Black and Brown folks, women, and other historically under-represented community members are fairly and equitably represented in these jobs. In the U.S., the existing clean economy workforce has significant disparities in the proportion and types of jobs held by racial minorities and women.  The Brookings Institution reported in 2019  that, despite accounting for almost 47 percent of the U.S. general workforce, “the clean energy economy workforce is older, dominated by male workers, and lacks racial diversity when compared to all occupations nationally. Fewer than 20 percent of workers in the clean energy production and energy efficiency sectors are women, while Black workers fill less than 10 percent of these sector’s jobs.” Regarding the under-representation of women, the  American Center for Progress  more recently published an article that found that “from founders and C-suite positions to entrepreneurs and skilled labor, women comprise only 25 percent of workers in the energy sector and 32 percent of the renewable energy workforce…Women also hold only 25 seats on the boards of the world’s 200 largest utilities, representing 16 percent of board members…While women’s leadership representation in clean energy has grown, gender parity remains elusive.” The enacted policies and plans in Atlanta to expand the local and regional clean economy offer a foundation to build upon existing programs and incentivize more workforce training and transition programs focused on equity. To strengthen the representation of historically under-served community members in these emerging fields and careers, training opportunities and resources should be concentrated in areas that lack resources in terms of access to knowledge, professional networks, and associated economic opportunities. Social networks and assets play a big role in these access disparities. In addition to focusing on reaching a specific number of clean economy jobs as proposed in the Clean Energy Atlanta Plan, the Atlanta Regional Development Plan, and other policies that informed this study, decision-makers and community groups should place a stronger emphasis on building connections and partnerships with clean economy hiring organizations.

An analysis by S&P Global around  The Changing Face of Energy  based on S&P Global Market Intelligence people data for the constituents of the S&P Global BMI Energy (Sector) Index and S&P Global BMI Utilities (Sector) Index presents some of the steps that utility companies around the country are taking to increase the diversity of their workforce across all levels. Specifically, S&P’s analysis detailed activities like “creating networking groups, having senior managers mentor or sponsor budding leaders, and attempting to diversify the pool of applicants considered during the hiring process…outreach to schools and sponsorship of educational programs.” One of the most impactful approaches to strengthening diversity and inclusion within the clean economy workforce is to reach out to young people still in their formative years and guide them to understand that these jobs, whether highly technical or not, can be attainable for anyone. Of the 224,900 jobs analyzed for this study, 34 percent only require a high school diploma, but 29 percent do require an associate degree or some vocational training for entry, while 35 percent require a Bachelor’s degree. On average, those living in the six focus zip codes have high school diploma-attainment rates comparable to those at the city level but, on average, about 12.8 percent of residents from the focus zip codes have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent as opposed to 25.5 percent in Atlanta overall (American Community Survey, 2019, 5-year estimates). Jobs that require apprenticeships, on-the-job training, or higher levels of formal education can necessitate an awareness of opportunities in the industry at an even earlier age. Although occupations in emerging fields within the Atlanta clean economy—from clean technology to smart grids and recycling—involve a diverse range of skill sets, and most of them actually require only a high-school diploma for entry-level positions, people still mostly associate jobs related to engineering, science, and other highly specialized skills to the clean economy, which deters racial minorities, women, and folks from lower-income backgrounds from pursuing these career paths. Lack of awareness—and of resources to increase awareness—is one of the biggest barriers for BIPOC, women, and lower-income community members. There is already work underway to support Atlanta’s workforce’s transition toward a cleaner future, like many of Georgia Power’s workforce development programs.

Based on the local workforce’s current characteristics, and the specialized industry sectors and related occupations that are projected to grow in the city over the next few decades, local leaders and stakeholders could mitigate furthering existing inequities through:

1. Aligning efforts across sectors to support the local workforce

No single agency or region will address our challenges and needs alone – there must be coordination between local, regional, state, and federal leaders to address the existing and ever-evolving energy and workforce needs.

According to Georgia Power, one of the biggest challenges power companies in Atlanta face is employing a well-trained and skilled lineworker staff. As a result of the efforts of their  workforce development program  and other industry partners within Georgia, four technical colleges across the state now offer Electrical Lineworker Apprentice Certificate programs—including  Atlanta Technical College . Local non-profits and institutions have the opportunity to support local community members, including those facing greater institutional barriers to high-paying jobs, as well as employers seeking talent in the current challenging labor market. Establishing direct partnerships with employers presents one important opportunity to support community members and demystify the clean economy jobs landscape. Organizations like PSE can engage in a process and/or power-mapping exercise to identify the key players involved in the pathway toward different clean economy careers, including clean utility and technology companies, and academic or alternative training institutions. Many of these companies are already investing in more equitable and inclusive recruitment processes by sending representatives into under-represented communities to conduct outreach and let local residents know about the opportunities, and by covering a large portion of their new employees’ training costs. Local non-profit organizations might also partner with small businesses by providing them with  economic incentives  to offer support for new and prospective employees, and even to hire and train more people in the community through ‘local-hiring programs.’ Atlanta’s  Solar Energy Procurement Agreement  (SEPA) contract, for example, includes a 35 percent Small Business Enterprise (SBE) goal for suppliers and subcontractors used in the contract. The City’s SEPA contractor partnered with a DC-based solar installer to establish local workforce training programs through engaging WorkSource Atlanta, Atlanta’s workforce development authority, and other community stakeholders.  WorkSource Atlanta Regional , which is managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Workforce Solutions division, provides a range of services for individuals seeking employment. WorkSource Atlanta’s offerings include the  ChooseATL Young Leaders Network , a program for young professionals under 40 to get “access to the business community, a network of peers, and a conduit to have real impact around the region.” ChooseATL posts their latest updates on their  career bank  and their social media pages, including training opportunities for established and emerging professionals and leaders in the Atlanta area. Similarly, the  Southface Institute  in Atlanta offers building science and workforce development training in a variety of energy efficiency fields with a focus on building performance, health and safety, energy and water, green infrastructure, and green building certifications. While local non-profit organizations are already doing important and much-needed work in this area, there is significant opportunity to scale given the likely number of clean jobs becoming available in Atlanta in the near future.

2. Workforce engagement and development programs

Building a clean economy equitably and inclusively must begin with ensuring people are equipped with the skills needed to obtain jobs across all levels. Many of Atlanta’s adopted plans acknowledge the need for investments in new technologies, the creation of workforce training programs, the expansion of scholarships and apprenticeship programs, and increased collaboration among technical colleges and trades to ramp up Atlanta’s clean jobs workforce. There are several ambitious initiatives and movements that support these efforts already underway, such as  Drawdown Georgia , which brings high-impact climate solutions to communities in Georgia; Atlanta Regional Commission’s  Green Communities Program , which assists local governments in decreasing operational carbon emissions through building portfolio efficiency and clean energy opportunities;  Solarize Atlanta , which makes solar-powered energy more accessible and affordable for more homes and businesses across Atlanta; and The Nature Conservancy  Urban Green Jobs Program , which is a ​​paid training program that teaches youth and families about green space management, urban agriculture, and other conservation topics from industry experts. However, there must be significantly more programs offered to make sure the jobs created in the clean economy go to a large percent of low-income and Black, Indigenous People of Color. Union apprenticeship programs, pre-apprenticeship programs, readiness programs, on-the-job training programs, etc. must offer family-sustaining wages, childcare support, transportation, and other supplies and resources to ensure community members who have historically been left behind are equipped to transition into clean job roles. This includes the youth, women, people who are formerly incarcerated, and other under-represented workers. For example, Oakland, CA’s Rising Sun’s  Climate Careers  employment and training program addresses climate change by employing youth to provide energy efficiency services to over 52,700 Northern California residences. They train and employ Bay Area and San Joaquin youth to conduct Green House Calls in their home communities. At each Green House Call, a team of two youth Energy Specialists provide residents with an energy and water assessment, energy and water saving installations (light bulbs, shower heads, etc.), and further conservation tips, all at no cost. Benefits include a valuable service to residents, positive environmental impacts, and paid employment, training, mentorship, and a wonderful summer experience for youth. Impacts are evident in the numbers: Climate Careers employs 1,985 youth, serves 52,794 homes with Green House Calls, and has served 100 cities to date, engaging in broad-based partnerships to advocate for clean workforce development and environmental justice throughout the region and the state. Youth training and employment programs are also an excellent way to educate and train early-career professionals in sector-specific jobs. It is critical to start with the youth (next generation); unless we’re embedding this basic knowledge and skill set in the youth, then large scale change will likely not happen. Local leaders and partners should invest in more STEM programs, after school programs, equipment, and other supportive resources to offer young and future professionals the possibility to join the clean economy workforce. For example, through the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the  Green Zone Environmental Program  (GZEP) partners with the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program to provide youth and young adults, ages 14 to 24, the opportunity to learn about energy and environmental issues, complete community-based environmental work projects such as rain gardens and storm drain markers, and prepare for careers. DOEE provides GZEP participants with the opportunity to learn from experts about energy and environmental issues facing the District, gain experience working on projects that will expose participants to a variety of green infrastructure practices; develop the skills necessary to compete for today’s clean jobs; and establish or deepen their connection to the environment. The learning outcomes from the GZEP allow participants to gain valuable knowledge from attending professional development workshops to enhance their skills in interview preparation, resume writing, and college and career planning.

3. Data reporting and processes

In order to better understand and assess jobs and skills associated with the clean economy at smaller geographic levels, resources must be dedicated to analyzing this sector of the economy at all levels. The Bureau of Labor Statistics began efforts towards this end in 2010, but budget cuts in 2013 resulted in these data collection efforts being discontinued. Advocacy for continued federal data collection efforts, and local efforts to size and understand the clean economy will be necessary as the clean economy expands as a result of both policy and market forces.

1. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) began to undertake the task of defining and quantifying green jobs under the  BLS Green Jobs Initiative . Because funding for this program was cut in 2013, work to collect statistics on green jobs or the clean economy through industries or occupations in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), or Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system data was halted. Due to these data limitations, the Brookings Institution worked to define and quantify the clean economy on a nationwide basis along similar lines. 2. Because there is no national consensus or regularly collected primary data on the clean economy and its associated jobs, other studies rely on their own methodology and even data collection at times when funding is available. This results in data that is not comparable across geographic extents, and data which is infrequently collected or available. 3.  Brookings designated NAICS codes  in the clean economy were matched to corresponding occupational codes to analyze changes in the Atlanta metro area. 4. It is important to note that many of these occupations are not exclusively within the clean economy which leads to overestimates of employment within the clean economy. Educational and job training requirements are presented based on Using O*Net data for each occupational code.

Other reports and resources this report draws on, not already linked in the report:

1.  Advancing Inclusion through Clean Energy Jobs , The Brookings Institution 2.  Uplifting Women in the Clean Economy , American Progress article 3.  Diversity in the US Energy Workforce , NASEO 4.  Building a Just Transition for a Resilient Future , The Worker Institute at Cornell (ILR)