Our latest research, Seattle’s Energy Efficient Building Operations and Construction Industries Workforce Report, provides an overview of the most relevant occupations in the sustainable Construction and Building Operations sectors and the different training programs (college and non-college based) available for each occupation.
The key findings are:
- The sectors continue to be overwhelmingly white and male. While there have been some gains in diversity in specific occupations, overall, the industry is not diversifying as fast as the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metropolitan Statistical Area (Seattle MSA) population is.
- The COVID-19 recession has impacted Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) working in the sectors more than white workers, reversing earlier gains in diversity in the industry.
- While the age of Construction and Trades workers has been a concern in years past, current data shows that a significant portion of students and current workers are well below retirement age. Those requiring more experience (such as Construction and Building Inspectors) skew slightly older. Those requiring a relatively new type of skills (such as Solar Photovoltaic Installers) skew younger.
- Energy-Related Construction trades have the highest baseline projected of the four sectors considered between now and 2024. Additional investment in clean energy and infrastructure adds between 0.3% and 0.7% to growth in that sector.
- There are multiple pathways for many of the occupations, including shorter-term training. These shorter-term training programs can be supported with on-ramp programs and wrap-around services for individuals who have been unemployed for six months or longer or face other barriers.
- Apprenticeship programs need to be expanded. Apprenticed occupations have a consistent undersupply, with strong projected growth, while programs have long waitlists.
- It is critical that apprenticeship programs rapidly diversify their recruitment and registration. Despite current efforts, registration of BIPOC apprentices remains well below the share of BIPOC in the Seattle MSA working-age population.
- Increasing women’s participation in Construction and the Trades has been notoriously difficult. Both training programs and employers have a role to play. Training program coordinators have reported efforts to attract more students from target populations. However, they have long waitlists, which is a higher barrier to those same target populations. At the same time, employers must prioritize racial equity and inclusion and accommodate cultural differences and caretaking responsibilities.
The Seattle jobs Initiative report on the Construction and Building Operations workforce in the Seattle area was commissioned by Emerald Cities and Seattle City Light to assess this workforce’s state.
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