The Spokane Alliance’s Sustainable Jobs Team sees rising energy prices and oversubscribed water resources – both a result of rising demand for relatively fixed and limited resources – as an opportunity rather than a crisis. We know, through our research, that there are many good local jobs to be created in promoting intelligent alternatives that maintain our living standards by using resources more wisely.

The Alliance’s Green Building / Green Learning campaign, for example, is focused on maximizing the efficient use of all natural resources in the design and construction of new buildings, on providing training opportunities for the current and emerging workforce in cutting edge building practices, and on inspiring the next generation to use its talents in finding new ways to make the world more prosperous, equitable and sustainable.

The campaign began taking shape in the spring of 2003 and was initially focused on securing commitments from Spokane Public Schools to implement Green Building standards in its upcoming construction projects and to adopt a 15% apprentice utilization standard to provide opportunities for the emerging workforce to learn these new construction practices.  In the course of 12 months of negotiations with school district officials, the campaign provided classic lessons: in the values of both persistence and patience; in the role of power, tension and diversity in inspiring creativity; in the importance of mutual respect and recognition of shared values or interests as the foundation of meaningful public relationships; and how real negotiations can lead to a win-win better than anyone initially imagined.

The campaign flexed and expanded to address additional interests and incorporate new ideas coming from the mix of Alliance members, school district staff, school board members, union and open shop contractors, state officials and others.  The end result is a $200 million package of construction projects that leverages its value to the entire community:

• Meeting high quality Green Building standards.
• Setting aside 15% of the construction work for apprentices enrolled in state certified programs.
• Creating opportunities for non-college bound students to be awarded direct placement in apprenticeship programs (no waiting lists) if they pass the WASL exam and meet other graduation requirements.
• Providing job shadowing and internship opportunities for high school students interested in architecture, design, engineering or the trades.
• Using job site web cameras to give teachers in any classroom opportunities to build lessons around practical, visible applications.
• Generating the demand for Green Building training that led to a $370,000 state Jobs Skills Training grant for Spokane Community Colleges that will provide 70,000 hours of green design and building instruction.
• Securing a $300,000 state Sustainable Schools grant to collect and analyze data on the impacts of Green Building on long term maintenance costs, environmental benefits and community acceptance.