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Will there be clean energy jobs in 2020?
About this episode:
It may come as quite a surprise to some that, in 2020, one of the fastest growing sectors in the American workforce happens to be the clean energy space: think solar, wind, geothermal, energy storage (batteries), hybrid and electric vehicles, and, energy efficiency as some of the big drivers in the scale-up.
Currently, 3.3 million American workers are actively employed in meaningful work doing clean energy jobs.
To learn more about this exciting development, we spoke with Bob Keefe. He is the Executive Director of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a nonprofit that helps build economic and employment opportunities across the clean energy space.
In this episode, Bob describes:
- E2’s mission and his role in driving its success. Starts at 5:24
- How many, and what types of, clean energy jobs already exist in the United States. Starts at 7:04
- The job growth value frames that E2 provides to elected officials. Starts at 11:24
- Clean energy’s surprising appeal in Red States. Starts at 15:32
- Workforce training requirements for clean energy jobs. Starts at 24:22
- Ways people may explore clean energy careers. Starts at 33:20
- E2’s parent NRDC and its famous new CEO. Starts at 35:28
In the news:
Dan headlines the alarming drop in American workforce participation (now at 63.4 percent) and the added threat to workers from robots and AI.
About our guest:
Bob Keefe enjoyed a successful career in print journalism before entering the advocacy space. Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill, he worked as a correspondent for Cox Newspapers and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bob joined the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) as Press Secretary in 2011; in 2014, he became Executive Director of NRDC affiliate, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Bob lives and works in Southern California.
EPISODE DATE: February 28, 2020
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