Adult Learning Meets the Green Economy

The new green economy affects adult education and workforce development as adult workers seek skills and knowledge that will help them find success in work and life. Recent years have brought about increased interest in and discussion of training for green jobs. Since the introduction of the Green Jobs Act in 2007, questions about how exactly to train workers for jobs in the changing economy have drawn attention from legislators, educators, and the public at large. Demand for new skill sets and refocused expertise requires workers and educators to not only refine basic skills but also create learning opportunities that meet the needs of the contemporary workplace. This article examines issues, challenges, and implications related to the development of a model for green jobs education. The Green Jobs training project of the Institute for Career Development offers perspective on what education and training programs can do to help ready learners to enter the green economy.