Federal study will look for green jobs

In the next few weeks, a $1.2-million federally funded study kicks off in hopes of answering questions key to the economy of Long Island and New York State: Just how many green jobs are out there, where are they, and what are they?

The first-of-its-kind study, being conducted in several other states as well, is aimed at providing businesses, job-seekers and the academic community with a detailed look at where green jobs can be found and what type of training is needed to create more such jobs.

"This is not just going to be a survey," said Patricia Malone, director of Stony Brook University's center for emerging technology, which is helping coordinate the study. "We'll be getting a read" on what the Island and the state have in terms of green jobs.

New York State's Department of Labor got the grant from the U.S Department of Labor to estimate the number of green jobs in the state and to identify the skills needed for such jobs.

Malone said that survey forms will go out in the next few weeks to companies, universities and organizations.

The Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook will partner in conducting the study with the state labor department, the City University of New York Graduate Center and the University at Albany.

Gary Huth, regional economist for the state labor department in Hicksville, said job-seekers and employers will one day be able to access information about green jobs.

"This is not just an academic exercise," Huth said. "It's about facilitating" a green economy. Such a study is needed, Huth said, because of the radical transformation of the job market these days.

"It's not your grandfather's labor market anymore," Huth said.

The study is to take about one year to complete.