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A. Challenges
With the emergence of green jobs comes a new set of challenges and strategies for guiding the efficient development of an industry centered on inclusivity. The industry faces challenges in hiring practices, funding and procurement, and installation and maintenance. The section that follows will address these issues as articulated in published literature and conversations with local stakeholders.
A.1. Challenges in Hiring Practices
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A.1.1. “Low-Road” Practices and Reputation
The green infrastructure industry is still developing its niche workforce. Because work is closely related to traditional labor in sectors such as construction and landscaping, the industry is largely influenced by practices in and perceptions of these sectors. For example, people entering green infrastructure jobs may be concerned Case Study: that their employers will use “low-road practices,” such as offering low or no pay with limited benefits and job security. In a report reviewing existing workforce development programs, The Delta Institute is a nonprofit organization that Nature Conservancy (TNC) noted that works with communities across the Midwest to this is common in industries such as solve local environmental challenges. Delta has maintenance, where workers face high engaged in a diverse profile of green infrastructure rates of layoffs during slow or off-season projects within the past several years, including periods due to a lack of pathways and a current project on identifying and removing the seasonal nature of the work. barriers to implementing green infrastructure Strategies to Address the Challenge: across the Great Lakes region. During a Unions As an Ally, Identifying the Role
stakeholder conversation with the Voorhees
of Unions within the Green Infrastructure
Center in December of 2021, they reported that
Industry, Expanding Career Pathways,
many workers in the green infrastructure economy
are facing the same challenges experienced Establishing Equitable Objectives, within the larger gig economy, including lack of Identifying Green Infrastructure benefits and economic security. Career Pathways and Stakeholders,
Nathalie P. Voorhees Center at UIC Community-Led Research 17
Green infratructure is less available in Chicago’s winter months compared to other times of the year. Source: United Rent a Fence.
A.1.2. Seasonality
By its very nature, green infrastructure work is dependent on weather. Available work is often sparse during the Chicago Region’s bitter winters, meaning many jobs are seasonal contracts running from early spring to late fall. While many seasonal workers are invited back the following year, the seasonality of the work makes jobs less desirable to skilled individuals seeking full-time employment. Strategies to Address the Challenge: Unions As an Ally, Identifying the Role of Unions within the Green Infrastructure Industry
Case Study: Cardinal State, LLC (Cardinal State) is a native landscaping company and Minority-Business Enterprise conducting work throughout the Chicagoland area. Cardinal State expressed a strong desire to keep their crews working for as much of the year as possible. But while they try to look for winter work, such as vacuuming up leaves and subcontracting with tree specialists, they report seasonal layoffs are often inevitable.
Our analysis of BLS data shows the number of skilled jobs in green infrastructure is growing. Workforce development organizations such as Opportunity, Advancement, Innovation in Workforce Development (OAI, INC) are working hard to provide the skills and training needed to fill these positions. During a stakeholder conversation, OAI reported that many workforce development organizations have trouble placing candidates; yet at the same time, employers have difficulties filling positions. Why this mismatch? We identified the following factors:
Communicating Job Information: Stakeholder conversations with Cardinal LLC revealed a lack of clarity over which job boards to post on; relatedly, skilled workers may be unclear of where to access information on jobs. This is exacerbated by the fact that jobs are not always posted online and are instead distributed through social networks, making them difficult to find for those not already connected in the industry.
Identifying Necessary Skillsets: Employers rarely hire for specific green infrastructure skills or competencies, preferring to hire for general construction, tree care, landscaping, or first-line supervisory roles. Further, many positions are reserved for workers with more experience in relevant industries.
Bad Reputation: The “Low Road” Reputation and Practices explored above may be detracting skilled workers from many jobs.
Strategies to Address the Challenge: Expanding Career Pathways, Expanding Certification Programs; Solidifying a Reliable Hiring Source, Case Studies, Identifying the Role of Unions within the Green Infrastructure Industry
A.1.4. Difficulty Projecting Job Growth
In its exploration of the green infrastructure workforce, Jobs for the Future found that precise projections of the growth of green infrastructure jobs are difficult to calculate due to the integration of these jobs within other industries.2 Accurate job growth estimates are further hampered by the distinct characteristics of job posting and hiring practices for green infrastructure-related work.
Strategies to Address the Challenge: Case Studies, Identifying Green Infrastructure Career Pathways and Stakeholders, Community-Led Research
A.2. Challenges in Funding and Job Procurement
A.2.1. Capacity within Small Organizations
Transitioning the work of firms from related industries such as groundskeeping to greeinfrastructure presents many roadblocks. For example, stakeholder interviews revealed that many small organizations directly involved in workforce development and skillstraining do not have the capacity or resources to get through the Request for Proposal (RFP) paperwork process required to launch projects. Additionally, organizations may not have the skills needed for submitting and completing administrative tasks, as many are occupied with hands-on fieldwork and their skills-training does not focus on administration. Most
Latinos United for Community Housing Association, Chicago (LUCHA) is a housing counseling agency focused on advocating for affordable housing for underserved populations in the Chicago neighborhoods of Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town. In 2018, LUCHA opened the sustainability focused Tierra Linda, a forty-five-unit affordable housing development adopting Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) design standards. During construction, LUCHA’s team had challenges convincing mechanical engineers to explore construction methods they were unfamiliar with. The engineering firm was hesitant to make changes to the design and systems planned for the PassiveHouse due to lack of data on economic efficacy of designs.
importantly, green infrastructure projects are expensive; specialized firms have the capacity and funding to carry these out, however, smaller organizations rely on grants and are financially limited.
Strategies to Address the Challenge: Career Preparation and Training, One-Stop Funding Source, Tracking Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Promoting Access to Green infrastructure Funding
Cost is a major constraint as municipalities consider green infrastructure implementations. While green infrastructure often presents cost-savings in the long-run, up-front costs are usually higher than retaining traditional grey infrastructure. The inability to quickly fund and implement large-scale green infrastructure limits the work that can be contracted, delaying the demand for workers in this industry. Further, our stakeholders expressed that many municipalities and parties may not understand the positive returns on investment provided by green infrastructure.
Strategies to Address the Challenge: Expanding Career Pathways, Promoting Access to Green infrastructure Funding, One-Stop Funding Source, Tracking Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Case Studies, Community-Led Research
A.3. Challenges in Installation and Maintenance
A3.1. Lack of Maintenance
Like traditional infrastructure, long-term success of green infrastructure is dependent on adequate and consistent maintenance. OAI conducted a needs assessment around stormwater management throughout the Calumet Region and found that inadequate maintenance of green infrastructure projects is common (OAI). Maintenance funding is typically supported by local funds and frequently relies on a community’s general fund; when funding is limited, maintenance budgets are reduced as a result. After contractors’ complete installation, maintaining the new green infrastructure often falls onto communities that do not have the skills, capacity, or staff to do so. Inadequate maintenance can result in installation removal as the costs of operating and repairing the infrastructure rise, as well as sites falling into disrepair.
Strategies to Address Challenge: Career Preparation and Training, Expanding Career Pathways, Case Studies, Community-Led Research
