DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with Shannon Jahn, the Green Workforce Liaison for the City and County of Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency. Shannon explains what a green workforce is and the various career paths that contribute to sustainability and resiliency in the built environment. She highlights some in-demand green jobs in Denver, such as solar installers, HVAC technicians, electricians, and facility managers.
Looking towards the future, Shannon predicts that electric vehicle technicians and EV charging installers will be in high demand as Colorado aims to have a million EVs on the road by 2030. She discusses her role as a connector of opportunities, helping to create training programs and connecting vulnerable populations to green jobs. Shannon emphasizes the critical role of cities in achieving the Paris climate goals and the importance of a just transition that addresses economic inequality while building a climate-resilient future.
Shannon also talks about the Climate Protection Fund in Denver, which allocates millions of dollars annually to workforce development and creating equitable training pathways into clean energy and construction jobs. She encourages individuals and organizations to adopt sustainable practices in their daily operations and support the greening of the local economy.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Denver is actively developing a skilled green workforce to support the transition to a sustainable and resilient economy.
- The city is focusing on creating equitable training pathways and connecting underserved communities to well-paying jobs in sectors like solar energy, building electrification, and electric vehicle infrastructure.
- Key in-demand green jobs include solar installers, HVAC technicians, electricians, facility managers, electric vehicle technicians, and EV charging installers.
- Cities play a critical role in achieving climate goals through local initiatives and addressing inequalities exacerbated by climate change.
- Economic equality and building a climate-resilient future are interconnected, as green jobs can provide good wages and benefits while mitigating the impacts of climate change.
- Denver's Climate Protection Fund allocates significant resources towards workforce development, training programs, and barrier reduction for underrepresented communities.
- Individuals and organizations can contribute to sustainability efforts by adopting eco-friendly practices and supporting the growth of the local green economy.
- A just transition that addresses economic inequality is essential for building a sustainable and resilient future.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So a green workforce is really made up of a variety of career paths that can really directly contribute to moving towards the built environment and sustainability and resiliency.“ by Shannon Jahn
- “To me, they really go hand in hand. So we know that our most vulnerable populations are the ones being adversely impacted by climate change, thus expanding that economic inequality substantially. And so by building this climate resilient future, we're stimulating the economy and creating a whole new sector that can come with hundreds of thousands of good jobs, which ultimately, in turn, provides individuals to have some greater flexibility and resources that a protect the environment and also mitigate harmful effects of climate change.“ by Shannon Jahn
- “Yeah, you know, there's two jobs that are really buzzing to the top as of late in conversation, that being electric vehicle technicians and EV charging installers with Governor Polis push to get close to a million EV's on the road by 2030.“ by Shannon Jahn
- “You know, I really look at myself as a connector of opportunity. So understanding the landscape or the ecosystem of the green market here in Denver and our communities, beyond understanding what our most vulnerable populations are in need of and how to get them over the barriers or hurdles that have been historically placed in front of them, and then providing training opportunities, standing up programs from the get go, or supporting programs that have been established for a long time and maybe just needs a little bit more encouragement to create a greener lens in their training practices.“ by Shannon Jahn
Entities
Person
Organization
Episode Information
Climate Changers
Ryan Flahive
7/20/22