Pennsylvania has experienced significant growth in clean energy jobs in the past few years. However, according to a report by the state government, 80% of employers in the clean energy sector experienced difficulty finding skilled employees, implying a deficiency in training for that sector.

According to Governor Wolf, “…workforce training investment decisions can benefit Pennsylvanians right now and position the state going forward to grow and improve livelihoods, the economy, and our environment​.”

The sector will not attract the skilled workers it needs if it does not offer higher wages. The report listed median wages for many positions, which might be fair, but it is crucial to increase salaries to be competitive in the market.

The clean energy sector features blue-collar and white-collar jobs distributed across the state in both rural and urban areas. The industry should offer median wages that are relatively higher than the salaries of other entry-level jobs to attract workers to less desirable locations. 

It is also critically important for the sector to communicate the available jobs and their wages to potential job seekers. Awareness can be promoted in schools so that younger generations can develop an interest in the sector.

The legislature can also significantly impact the wages of the clean energy workforce, such as enacting policies to offer benefits like income tax credit. There is also a need for policies that increase incentives, tax exemptions, credits, and rebates to companies that support the clean energy sector. The companies will, in turn, pass the benefits to employees through increased wages. Both of these will attract more skilled workers to the field.

Pennsylvania will reap great benefits from increasing wages in clean energy sector jobs. The livelihoods of Pennsylvanians will improve, the economy will grow, and the state will achieve its environmental conservation goals.