By KRWG News
Las Cruces – Exactly how many green jobs are in New Mexico? That's what New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center is going to figure out.
The effort is part of an 18-month project for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and funded by $1.25 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"To the extent that our future is in the green economy, we need some baseline measurements to know if we are growing and to know what kind of workforce training measures we may need to put in place," said Arrowhead CEO Kevin Boberg.
Arrowhead Center's policy analysis unit will survey a sampling of businesses across the state by mail, phone and e-mail to determine what green jobs are currently in existence. It will conduct the same survey again a year later to measure the sector's growth. As part of the process, researchers also hope to better understand the needs of a green-related workforce, and the educational opportunities related to supporting it.
The project will allow Arrowhead Center to hire an additional eight students, providing them jobs and skills that will also make them more attractive to potential future employers when they graduate.