Jobs of the Future - Training

The economic stimulus package has provided a substantial set-aside for training for green jobs. The money for that effort should be arriving at local offices (depending on where you live the office may be called a One Stop Career Center, a Job Center or a Workforce Development Center) by the beginning of April. If a person is interested in green job training, it would be good to talk with your local office soon.
The new US Department of Labor Secretary is the author of the Green Jobs Act that passed Congress last year. Her commitment to green jobs is part of the reason that there is special money for the effort.

-- gjd Southcentral Wisconsin

Funny, I have had a “green job” as an urban logger putting urban “waste” logs to a better use that the chipper/burn pile/landfill for about a decade…it still has not caught on. I bet the economic stimulus package fixes all that (he says with sarcasm)

-- http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/

I think I will look into this soon. I worry day by day when our company may close down.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

Sounds like a wise choice.
No matter what happens or who is in control the world IS going that way.
Other rock solid careers are nursing and health care tech. IT and we will always need engineers.
Forget about punching a clock in Mfg. China will do that for nuti’n

-- MARK IN BOB, So. CAL

There is probably a future as a windmill technician. It sounds like there is a lot of regular maintenance required. Has anyone seen the Dirty Jobs episode where Mike Rowe services windmills?

-- Just 'cause a cat has kittens in the oven, it don't make 'em biscuits.

Bureaucrat: Thanks for the info. I see on their official website: http://www.dol.gov/, that Secretary Hilda Solis has started quite an itinerary.

Daren: On this website there is a link to “Contact Us”, so maybe a petition can be started to address issues of interest such as the more efficient use of lumber from urban logging. I admire your back breaking efforts and head bashing with the county to try to get the trees put to better use. I can see how they would wave you away because it’s easier for them to ignore a worthy cause and do their 9-5 pencil pushing instead. Maybe in the atmosphere of a green movement and the stimulus package it would be a good time to push your idea into a federally funded plan, or at least make them start to look at this as a way to use the lumber and create jobs. If you approach the DOL with the idea and a plan of action, they won’t be so over whelmed with the unknown and can take a look at the steps involved. Apparently you have a system and they could benefit from it. I would be one to sign your petition, as I can see even in my neighborhood that trees are being cut because they have died or are diseased and have great potential for woodworking, but it’s easier for them to just grind them up instead of milling, drying, storing, then selling. But we know there’s value in this wood and jobs could be created. Storage space would be an issue, so there’s a whole list of things to be delt with. A system for implementing this along with funding and how it could pay for itself would need to be considered. Your insight would be of great value here.

I’m also trying to see if a new product that is said to use electricity in a more efficient manner, is going to save me money. I’ve had an electrical engineer confirm that the theory does work and so I’ve finally purchased a unit, but am awaiting delivery for installation. It should save me 15%-25% of my electricity bill each month. It will not work on appliances that have heating elements, but for power tools, TV’s, etc., it will use the electrical current more efficiently. They also have a re-sell option, for those who want to sell and install the units. In the event you puchase, use this link free shipping: http://www.power-save1200.com/freeship_order (click on website link).

They also have solar and wind turbine products but I have too many neighboring trees for solar panels to effciently work, so I’m considering a small wind turbine, but it has to be bird friendly.

FYI: Currently in the state of MD, they have a tax free status to businesses involved in green energy such as solar energy products.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Well lets see… the company where I worked for almost 20 years closed back in October. I haven’t found a new job yet (thank the Lord I own the house and car without any payments due on either), however I made my computer desk from 5/8” plywood and MDF that used to be my office work table top and a scaffold platform. That counts as recycling which is one of those green things….. Maybe I should apply for some of that money the government is giving away.

-- John - Tampa, FL - American components, Russian components..... ALL MADE IN TIAWAN!