An Interview with Julian Alssid: Where the Jobs Are……or Are Going to Be !

6.12.10 - Michael F. Shaughnessy - We just completed a report about the myths and realities of "green jobs” which found that the demand for green jobs is still mostly projected

Michael F. Shaughnessy

Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, New Mexico

1)   Julian, you are one of the few people in America that is really on top of the changing career/occupational market. What do you see as some of the rising trends?

I am not an economist, but recent employment data suggest the job market is still unsettled. A survey of human resources executives released this week by Right Management suggested that we will see more downsizing in US firms this year. Also this week Manpower, which owns Right Management, released its quarterly outlook survey of 18,000 employers which found that 98 percent of US states have a positive hiring outlook. So…go figure.

2) Some people seem to jump on the "green bandwagon" thinking that jobs in the environment will be plentiful. How realistic is this?

 We just completed a report about the myths and realities of "green jobs” which found that the demand for green jobs is still mostly projected (see  http://www.workforcestrategy.org/images/pdfs/publications/green_energy_programs_2010-05.pdf). However, given the Administration’s push toward a green economy and considering that the majority of the nation’s venture capital investments in 2008 were in the clean energy and energy efficiency sectors, it appears that the green economy has the potential for great growth.

3)   Julian, I try to keep up with the technology, and computers and Internet- where will the jobs be in this realm in the future?

A recent survey by Robert Hart Technology found that Chief Information Officers (CIOs) say they have the hardest time filling networking, applications development, and security jobs. Individuals with software development, database management and customer/technical support skills are also in demand and, I imagine, will be in demand for the foreseeable future.

4)  What about servers- and their maintenance and repair?

The networking and security people the CIOs are calling for will have plenty of opportunity to manage and maintain servers.

5)  I think a lot of people in Louisiana and that part of the world are going to have to re-tool due to this BP oil spill. Any ideas? Recommendations?

The reports I’ve seen suggest that huge numbers of workers in the Gulf, particularly those in the fishing industry, are going to lose their jobs. Re-tooling these workers for new careers is going to present some huge challenges, particularly for those in communities where the economy has been built around the fishing industry. Without substantial economic development in their communities, many will have to move to regions where there is economic opportunity to find good work. The key will be to match folks with training and education targeted to sectors of the economy where there are jobs and projected job growth.

6) Are there jobs in alternative sources of energy? For example, fixing cars that run by batteries?

There are jobs in alternative energy, but many are for existing workers who need to add a new “layer” of green skills (such as auto mechanics who learn to repair electric cars or carpenters who learn to install photovoltaic or thermal solar panels). Also, the green energy industry is so new that it’s also not yet clear which green technologies (and accompanying jobs) will really take hold and which won’t, making demand and employment growth uncertain.

7) Tell us a bit about your most recent report.

Beginning in the fall of 2009, WSC took a close look at community colleges that have been at the forefront of green energy workforce education and training in both renewable energy and energy efficiency. The aim of our report is to help community colleges nationally make their way through evolving terrain as they develop green energy education and training programs for low-income populations.

8) How are schools coping with the changing job market? Or are they?

The community colleges we have been in touch with are challenged to keep their pulse on today’s job market. For many, the companies that have traditionally hired their students are not hiring now. At the same time, industry leaders report difficulties filling skilled jobs. The colleges that fare best collaborate with industry and regional education, workforce development, and economic development partners to shape and carry out their programs.

9) Increasingly, we are going to need people with computer skills, technology skills and Internet skills. What about the less intellectually endowed individuals in our society?

Sadly, there seem to be plenty of low-wage, low-skilled positions out there. The key is to ensure that we get the lower-skilled, lower-wage individuals the training for higher-wage, higher-skilled positions that are going to get them out of the poverty trap.