Green Collar Workers Cultivate the Economy,
Part 2

by Andrea Millar — April 15, 2008

Good luck to those willing to speculate about the actual timetable for withdrawing American forces from Iraq or Afghanistan. If it is anytime soon, more than luck is going to be needed for the masses of vets back on American soil in a country with the highest unemployment rate in years (5.1%). If past history is any indication, this section of the workforce could find a difficult road back to securing civilian positions. This should come as no surprise--to see this matter in its simplest aspect, imagine returning to the job you have now after participating in the complete toppling and re-establishment of entire nation-states. After being involved in something that far-reaching, many occupations could fail to satisfy.

But, if the potential for meaningful work exists anywhere, it's in green technology. Thus, many, including the US Congress (see Part 1 for more info on the Green Collar Jobs Act), are attempting to integrate the two. A Ft. Worth , Texas realtor saw the untapped potential in veterans and formed the nonprofit Green Collar Vets, which seeks to facilitate employment of veterans of recent military actions with green industry, like Ft. Worth's wind-power companies.

In Washington State, Senate Bill 5164 was passed in summer of 2007. The Bill provides funds for a 10-month-long certification program in green technologies as well as a living stipend for those who are successfully completing the program. After completing the program, this qualification and support are intended to facilitate veterans gaining a place in a number of green collar professions.