Unleashing the Promise of the Clean Energy Economy for Latino Workers and Communities

The growth of the US clean energy economy has the potential to create millions of high-paying jobs for Latinos in high-demand industries and occupations. Optimizing this economic opportunity requires targeted workforce development strategies, shaped by Hispanic leaders and organizations, to educate and train Latino workers in the knowledge and skills they will need to thrive in this growing sector.

The climate crisis is spurring a clean energy transformation with new economic opportunities for Latino workers.

The climate crisis is intensifying: Hurricanes Helene and Milton are just the most recent in an accelerating trend of extreme weather events and climate-related natural disasters that are devastating communities. The climate crisis threatens everyone, but Hispanic communities face disproportionate harm and risk. Due to a long history of political and economic exclusion, Latinos are more likely to live and work in places where they are exposed to high levels of carbon pollution, to be harmed by extreme weather events such as heat waves, wildfires, and flooding, and to be employed in jobs in which they will face increased health risks and economic vulnerability due to climate change.

At the same time, the urgent need to mitigate and adapt to climate change is spurring a transformation of the US energy economy, which holds the promise of new opportunities for Hispanic workers and communities. According to the US Department of Energy, more than 3.5 million U.S. workers are currently employed in clean energy jobs—in renewable energy, the electrical vehicle (EV) industry, energy efficiency, and more—and these jobs are expanding at more than double the overall US jobs growth rate. New federal investments are accelerating this growth. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has sparked hundreds of billions in investment in clean energy projects across the US, fueling increased demand for workers in scores of occupations: solar panel installers, wind turbine technicians, construction workers, home energy efficiency experts, electricians, environmental engineers, and much more.

For working-class Latinos, the clean energy sector promises jobs that pay well and have lower educational barriers to entry than other industries. Average wages are higher than in other sectors, both for entry-level roles and for more skilled and highly compensated positions, with the largest wage premiums at the lower end of the industry income spectrum. In addition, fewer clean energy jobs require a college degree.

The clean energy economy also offers opportunities and upward mobility for middle-class Latinos with postsecondary and advanced degrees, as it drives a growing demand for engineers, physicists, lawyers, architects, bankers, and more. And across the spectrum of clean energy jobs, demand for skilled workers is outstripping supply–meaning that workers with the right skills are and will continue to be in high demand.

Ensuring that Latino workers are prepared to thrive in the clean energy economy is an imperative. The Hispanic community has disproportionately borne the burdens of carbon pollution and should fully benefit from our efforts to solve the climate crisis. As a practical matter, there is no way for the clean energy industry to meet its growing labor force needs without Latino workers: 78% of net new workers joining the US labor force this decade will be Hispanic. The nation’s 63 million Latinos are a vital engine of the US economy, contributing $3.7 trillion in annual economic output. As we transform our energy economy, ensuring their prosperity and well-being is crucial to building a strong, prosperous, and equitable economic future for all Americans. The failure to do so will make our economy weaker and deepen inequality.

Expanding and modernizing our workforce development and education systems is critical for preparing Hispanic workers for the clean energy economy.

Despite the importance of ensuring that Latinos reap the benefits of the clean energy economy, Hispanic workers–especially Latina women–are underrepresented in the sector. The nation’s education and workforce training systems are failing to provide Latinos with the skills, knowledge, and pathways they need to break into the industry at scale. While many clean energy jobs do not require college degrees, significant skills training is often a prerequisite–yet such training is in short supply due to long-standing disinvestment in workforce development in the infrastructure sector. Some clean energy companies have been reluctant to devote time and resources to apprenticeship programs out of concern that workers will cut and run shortly after completing them, leaving the companies without a return on their investments (although research shows that such concerns are largely unfounded). Existing clean energy job training and certification programs typically aren’t well-designed for Latino workers, who often need tailored support to overcome barriers related to transportation, money, childcare, and language. And many clean energy jobs require higher levels of scientific and technology knowledge than other jobs, pointing to the need for greater investment in two- and four-year college STEM career pathways and career and technical education programs for Hispanic youth.

To prepare Latino workers for careers in the clean energy economy, we must modernize and expand our workforce, education, and post-secondary systems. Latino community-based organizations, working in collaboration with government and the private sector, can create industry-aligned, culturally appropriate, and affordable apprenticeship, training, and credential programs that prepare Hispanic workers for jobs in the clean energy sector.

Some UnidosUS Affiliates are showing the way. For example, in the Rio Grande Valley, VIDA (Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement), a 30-year-old nonprofit that runs workforce education programs for low-income residents, has partnered with local colleges and trade unions to establish electrical, construction, and HVAC career pathways programs with training in renewable energy systems, energy-efficiency practices, and other skills in demand within the clean energy industry. Over the last five years, more than 200 workers have graduated from these programs.

In San Diego County, MAAC (Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County, Inc.), a Latino-led nonprofit with programs focused on education, health care, housing, and economic development, is collaborating with GRID Alternatives, a solar panel installation and training facility, to offer paid apprenticeships in solar panel system design, installation, and maintenance. GRID Alternatives runs the training program, while MAAC recruits Latino youth and displaced older workers and provides them with wrap-around support services, including transportation, career coaching, and financial assistance to purchase tools and equipment. MAAC and GRID Alternatives are expanding their partnership, with plans to launch a new apprenticeship program focused on EV charging station installation and maintenance in 2025.

“Through partnerships with local industry and education providers, we’ve increased access to specialized training for Latino workers,” says Christopher Heim, the workforce development program manager at MAAC. “This has allowed us to bridge the skills gap in these emerging fields and place participants in roles that offer strong career prospects. As we develop our apprenticeship model, we’re ensuring that participants can learn on the job, gain valuable hands-on experience, and receive the financial support they need to stay committed to their training.”

VIDA and MAAC’s programs rely on a mix of funding sources that include substantial state and federal funding, highlighting the important role of government in supporting the development and sustainability of effective workforce training programs.

New federal laws are supercharging job creation in the clean energy sector and offer a historic opportunity to build and scale new workforce development programs for Latinos.

While apprenticeship programs like VIDA’s and MAAC’s are promising, we need to create many more programs like them to meet the sector’s workforce needs and unlock the full potential of the clean energy economy for Latinos.

The scale of current and ongoing federal investments through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which include billions to support workforce development and training programs, has the potential to be transformative. However, the way in which federal funds flow down into communities is exceedingly complex. Those seeking to unlock this capital must navigate and influence labyrinthine application and decision-making processes involving multiple programs, agencies, and entities at the federal, state, and local levels. Here again, Hispanic community-based organizations have a vital role to play. Leaders of Hispanic-serving community development financial institutions, job training centers, community colleges, and other nonprofits have the credibility to participate in local and state-level decision-making tables and the knowledge and experience to shape policies and programs that meet the needs of Latino workers.

UnidosUS is building the capacity of its Affiliate Network–which includes 185 Hispanic nonprofits with workforce development programs–to unlock the potential of these historic federal investments. As part of a project with Wells Fargo, the National Urban League, and National CAPACD, Unidos is working to assess and bolster the preparedness of its Affiliates to advance climate resilience in their communities–including their ability to access federal funding opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act.

The transition to a clean energy economy holds economic promise for Hispanic communities, which have experienced disproportionate harm from climate change and are exceptionally vulnerable to its intensifying impacts. But the economic benefits of this energy transformation for Latino communities aren’t guaranteed. Through their public leadership and programmatic vision and expertise, Hispanic community-based organizations can ensure that Latino workers thrive in the growing clean energy economy.