Skill Sets, Competencies & Career Pathways Archives

Map a Career in Clean Energy

Career maps in Clean Energy Manufacturing, Bioenergy, Green Buildings, Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, Hydropower, Marine Energy, Solar, and Wind. These maps also link to more detailed career pages for each

Wind Energy Education and Training Programs

This website shows the location of wind energy education and training programs in the United States. Find programs at community colleges, universities, and other institutions.

Green Buildings Career Map

The Green Buildings Career Map is a highly interactive tool that explores an industry exploding with job opportunities across four major sectors of the green buildings and energy efficiency industry,

Careers in Climate Control Technology (HVAC/R)

The Careers in Climate Control Technology map explores an industry exploding with job opportunities in heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technologies (HVAC/R), describing diverse occupations across the industry, charting possible

Better Buildings Workforce Development Resources

Millions of Americans work on the energy infrastructure that powers the U.S. and in the buildings that power our economy. That infrastructure and those buildings work best when a skilled

Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines

These guidelines are voluntary national standards to improve the quality and consistency of commercial building workforce credentials for key energy-related jobs. Developed by the The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

U.S. Department of Energy-Sponsored Map to Guide Students Into Careers Without Degrees

Community colleges and job seekers can use this resource tool to combat climate change, support infrastructure, and bolster the workforce. Energy efficiency has a key role to play at the

Green Buildings Career Map Webinar

This interactive career map, produced by IREC, highlights career opportunities in building energy efficiency. Students and career councilors can utilize the map to explore employment opportunities, skillsets required for specific

Energy Star: Higher Education Resources

Check out these great resources from Energy Star for higher education. On this webpage you will find reading lists, syllabi, funding guidance, and other helpful resources.

CareerOneStop – Competency Model Clearinghouse

A clearinghouse of competency model frameworks. Includes high-growth industries such as Energy Generation, Transmission, and Distribution and Advanced Manufacturing (including green manufacturing principles). Developed through a collaborative effort involving the

Department of Energy STEM Rising

STEM Rising is your go-to resource for all-things-STEM at the U.S. Department of Energy. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, commonly known as STEM, are the essential building blocks to accomplishing the U.S.

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Publications

Review these resources for AWEA Wind Energy Fact Sheets which provide up-to-date information on many aspects of the wind industry. You will also find Wind Energy Reports which include quarterly and

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Residential Retrofit Guidelines

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has tasked the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with developing a suite of voluntary national guidelines

U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative

Better Buildings is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designed to improve the lives of the American people by driving leadership in energy innovation. Through Better Buildings,

US DOE SunShot Inititiative: Solar Career Map

This solar career map explores an expanding universe of solar-energy occupations, describing diverse jobs across the industry, charting possible progression between them, and identifying the high-quality training necessary to do

BEST College & Program Directory

These community colleges from around the United States are active members of the BEST Network of Colleges. They offer a variety of building operations/ performance programs including HVACR, Building Automation,

Weatherization Training Providers

These organizations provide a variety of trainings and services to the Weatherization Assistance Program network. Most have been accredited by IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council) to provide training on one

The Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center

For Automation Systems (BAS) Specialists as well as High Performance Building Operations Professionals (HPBOP). Expand your HVAC program, connect this to a business degree, or create a stand alone program.

Sustainable Agriculture Education and Training Directory

This website by the USDA provides a database of sustainable agriculture-based learning programs, searchable by state, degree type and field of study. While not totally comprehensive, it is a useful

A Guide to Green Careers

An in-depth guide to careers and degree programs in the “green” sector. This resource begins with a comprehensive look at green industries and then dives into specific professional and educational

JASON Learning

A non-profit organization that connects students to science and exploration to inspire and motivate them to study and pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). For teachers and

Alternative Fuels Data Center

The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) from the DOE- EERE provides information, data, and tools to help fleets and other transportation decisions makers find ways to reduce petroleum consumption through

The SunShot Initiative

This initiative, by the United States Government, was implemented to reduce the cost of solar energy for all Americans, by making it cost competitive with other energy sources, without subsidies.

Emerald Cities Collaborative: Building Trades Curriculum

The Multi-Craft Core Curriculum is an innovative training curriculum that provides a gateway from high school or community college to joint industry registered apprenticeships in the Building and Construction Trades

Work for Water

Developed by the American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation, the world’s leading technical experts on drinking water and water quality, this site is packed with resources to find

Report – U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report

This report from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy focuses primarily on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy impacts — the first challenges to be addressed through this industry wide

Biofuels: Job Postings

This is one of many sites that lists job postings for the biofuels industry. It provides some insights into what jobs are available.

Book (SARE) – The New American Farmer, 2nd Edition

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s (SARE’s) Free Book, The New American Farmer, 2nd Edition, profiles sustainable agricultural innovations across the United States by featuring more that 60 successful farmers and

Chicago Advocates for Urban Agriculture and Job Training for the Disadvantaged: Growing Home

Growing Home provides transitional employment and training for individuals in Chicago facing multiple barriers to securing permanent and unsubsidized employment through a social enterprise business based on organic agriculture.

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy: Sustainability

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy provides a forum for the dairy industry to work pre-competitively to address barriers to and opportunities for innovation and sales growth. The Innovation Center

National Transportation & Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC)

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) is the nationwide alternative fuel vehicle and advanced technology vehicle training organization in the United States. It provides the training infrastructure for implementing

Report (SARE) – What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Check out USDA supported “What is Sustainable Agriculture?”, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s (SARE’s) free award-winning, 12-page sampler of best practices in sustainable agriculture, including profiles of the men and

Workforce Training: Credentials, Pathways and Pipelines to the Green Economy

This is a link to presentations from a workshop given at the “Good Jobs, Green Jobs” National Conference in Washington, DC, in February 2009. Building a green country requires building

Green Pathways Out of Poverty: Workforce Development Initiatives

This document is a product of that two-day meeting and links to resources recommended by Community of Practice members. It is meant to guide and support anyone seeking to create

Skills Standards for Wind Turbine Technicians

This Wind Turbine Technician Skill Standards project is part of a broader initiative to establish power generation standards for the energy industry.

Building Performance Institute (BPI) Field Guides

This site features detailed guides that list the requirements that candidates must specifically meet during on-site field testing for BPI certifications. The certifications include AC Heat Pump, Building Analyst, Envelope,

Building Performance Institute (BPI) Test Centers

This site provides a list of BPI Test Centers providing training and proctoring for the BPI written and field examinations for BPI certifications.

IREC Renewable Energies Key Publications

Here you’ll find easily downloadable IREC papers, reports and other publications, all designed to help advance renewable energy in your community. Contains information that educators can use as they develop

Weatherization Curricula, Competencies, and Training Tools

Weatherization Curricula, Competencies, and Training Tool from the Weatherization Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center

O*NET Resource Center Identification of Green Economic Sectors, Green Increased Demand Occupations,

Green Increased Demand Occupations, Green Enhanced Skills Occupations, and Green New and Emerging (N&E) Occupations as listed and described by O*NET, under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar Heating Installer Job Task Analysis

This document presents a comprehensive task analysis for contractors installing solar water and pool heating systems on buildings. For the purposes of developing training curricula, assessment mechanisms and certification criteria,

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis

This document presents an in-depth Job Task Analysis for solar electric professionals who gather site specific information and analyze customer needs and energy usage for the purpose of advising and

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Installation Professional Job Task Analysis, NABCEP

This document presents a comprehensive Job Task Analysis (JTA) for individuals who perform responsible decision-making roles concerning the design, installation, commissioning, and operations & maintenance of Photovoltaic (PV) systems. It

Residental Energy Services Network (RESNET) Home Energy Rating Standards

RESNET’s Standards are officially recognized by the federal government for verification of building energy performance for such programs as federal tax incentives, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program and

American Clean Power Online Job Board

American Clean Power provides an online job board for both job jobseekers and job recruiters.

Building Performance Institute (BPI) Standards for Home Performance and Weatherization

BPI is a national standards development organization for residential energy efficiency and weatherization retrofit work. BPI standards help provide quality and consistency by promoting that home performance and weatherization workforce

Career Pathway Competency Models for the Energy Industry

A competency model framework for the Generation, Transmission and Distribution sector of the Energy Industry. The model is designed to evolve along with changing skill requirements. The industry model frameworks

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Objectives and Task Analysis for a Professional Small Wind Energy System Installer

This document presents an in-depth task analysis for practitioners who do wind site assessments and specify, install and maintain wind energy systems and equipment. The purpose of this task analysis

Competencies for Weatherization and Residential Single Family Energy Auditor

The WAPTAC has published a set of core competencies designed to increase awareness and raise expectations. These competencies were compiled from the course offerings of several weatherization training centers and

An initiative of the National Council for Workforce Education, the Sustainability Education and Economic Development Center (SEED) supports community colleges and their partners with curriculum and resources to transform educational programs for a sustainable future.

Topic: Skill Sets, Competencies & Career Pathways