Small and medium-size businesses will play a key role in developing talent for the emerging green economy. To do that, they need an understanding of the services and resources available to them through regional education and workforce development programs. And to support them, regional leaders must understand employers’ needs.  

Jobs for the Future (JFF) carried out a research project to help address those needs, commissioning Morning Consult to assess employer perceptions of the workforce challenges ahead and gauge their awareness of the resources available in their regions. Morning Consult surveyed 802 people in director-level or higher roles at small and medium-size businesses across the country, defining small businesses as those with less than 100 employees and medium-size businesses as those with 100 to 500 employees.   

Key findings: 

• Businesses want more resources to invest in green job creation and skills development, and they expect regional governments to step up. More than 80% of the employers polled said they agree that access to funding and information on helping employees transition to green jobs would help them create green jobs. And 61% said they would be more willing to create green jobs if “additional government funding” were available.  

• Employers lack access to information about funding and resources. Just over one-third (36%) of the employers said they’re very or somewhat aware of funding opportunities, and just 30% said they’ve used any government resources or funding to create green jobs. Employers in the Northeast showed more awareness of resources and funding for green job creation; 42% said they were very or somewhat aware, compared to 35% in the South, 34% in the West, and 31% in the Midwest. 

• Regional initiatives play a critical role in on-the-ground efforts to tackle climate-related workforce challenges. Of the employers polled, 86% said regional efforts are at least somewhat important to promoting green job growth. And nearly 90% said collaboration with other businesses in their regions will be helpful in creating more green jobs.

In addition to these survey findings, JFF is releasing a data-driven interactive guide to help regional leaders understand their potential for creating quality green jobs. The guide, Regional Solutions for Growing Quality Green Jobs, offers county-by-county assessments of climate risks and readiness for the green economy. It also recommends strategies for advancing green workforce development, such as strengthening partnerships, expanding talent pipelines to increase access to jobs with transferable green skills, and mapping sources of funding and support.  

JFF works with employers, colleges, and community partners to develop quality green jobs strategies in 10 states across the U.S., and has recently published insights on the unique barriers they face. This work is part of Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow, an initiative of the Ares Charitable Foundation that aims to close the gap between the demand for a skilled workforce for green jobs and the number of people prepared for these opportunities.