If you’re in New York City real estate development, you’ve no doubt gotten the message that the future is green. The city’s Green Economy Action Plan, published earlier this year, set an ambitious goal to create 400,000 green collar jobs by 2040, with skilled trades like plumbing and electrical tapped as priority occupations. For employers, the urgency is clear – but the pathway to the right talent is less so.
Despite ongoing conversations about how to prepare job seekers for green opportunities, our city remains vulnerable to rushed initiatives. Most recently, the city’s $300 million job training partnership with BlocPower came under scrutiny for a lack of measurable results. To meet the city’s goals, employers will need expert guidance and due diligence.
We lead two organizations with years-long track records of recruiting, training, and placing skilled workers. Building Skills NY (BSNY) is a construction workforce intermediary that connects job seekers to employment and training across the five boroughs. LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC) is a Hispanic-Serving Institution based in Long Island City that offers associate degrees, academic certificates, and continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for further education and careers. Here’s how we recommend employers navigate local hiring in the burgeoning green economy.
1. Find a partner you can trust.
With limited time to devote to hiring, you’ll need a workforce intermediary that truly understands your industry. Industry relationships allow for targeted recruitment and quick-turn placement into priority green jobs like plumbing and electrical work.
Often, the perfect plumber’s helper or electrical helper may not yet be ready. You’ll need to fold training into your partnership to create a pipeline for the months and years ahead. Whether you’re in search of entry-level workers or skilled tradesmen, look for intermediaries who offer upskilling at no cost to job seekers and are prepared to offer the supportive services that trainees need to stay on track and complete the program.
As you review your options, remember that neither job placement nor training is one-size-fits-all. Look for partners who demonstrate awareness of the local construction landscape, including climate-focused legislation like Local Law 97.
2. When it comes to the training curriculum, you get what you give.
Training is only as useful as it is applicable to real-world job opportunities. Your partner should solicit your input on the curriculum, and you should be ready to offer it.
A strong curriculum is dynamic – you should reassess every few months to make sure that participants are learning your latest and greatest priorities. Look out for a partner who is able to leverage their case management skills to ensure that graduates are prepared not only to land the job, but also to keep it.
3. Stay in touch.
It costs less to retain than to hire, so put the time in to keep talent engaged and progressing. Remember that your placement and training partner should be available to you after new hires join to provide coaching and additional support if needed.
Above all, we encourage employers to remember that we’re stronger together. Embracing collaboration with community-based organizations expands the talent pipeline and builds the resilient workforce we need amid ongoing change.
David Meade is the executive director of Building Skills NY; Ken Adams is the president of LaGuardia Community College.
