Thinking of training for a Green Collar or renewable energy job? Look to the heartland.

The state government set some pretty lofty green energy goals for Kansas businesses. Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius and current Governor Mark Parkinson set a goal of producing 10% of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2010. The business community recently met this ambitious goal much earlier than expected, and is showing signs of making even further progress.

Quick facts about Kansas Green Energy:
•    Kansas’ wind generating capacity recently surpassed 1,000 megawatts
•    Kansas’ wind generating capacity has more than tripled since the beginning of 2008
•    Hutchinson, Kansas is the site of a huge turbine factory expected to create and install 650 wind turbines by 2010
•    The state’s rapid increase in wind power infrastructure has positioned Kansas as 3rd out of all states for wind energy production

The Hutchinson factory operation is expected to create an estimated 400 Green Collar jobs, along with all of the community support services, construction and amenities jobs attached to any large-scale production facility. Even better, the new facility has an adjacent 80,000 square-foot service and repair facility. The Green Collar industry is exploding in Kansas, and it only took a few years to get it off the ground.

Types of jobs that are created to service the Green Energy industry:
•    Construction
•    Electrical infrastructure
•    HVAC
•    Trucking and Transportation
•    Real Estate
•    Medical and health care
•    Emergency Medical Response teams (EMT)
•    Business and project management

Green Energy is an excellent and profitable industry that creates new jobs for emerging technology, but also boosts traditional industries looking to expand into new markets.

If you were to move to the Hutchinson, Kansas area, what Green Energy jobs would you qualify or be able to train for? It may be easier than you think to join the renewable energy movement!