Methodology

Neither of the standard classification systems most frequently used (i.e., the North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] and the Standard Occupational Classification [SOC]) identifies groups of green or environmental industries or occupations. This makes identification of occupations related to specific sectors of the green economy, such as green infrastructure, difficult. The Jobs for the Future (JFF) research team used a multi-step process to identify the SOC codes that belonged to green infrastructure occupations, including reviewing existing research on green infrastructure jobs and collaborating with organizations such as the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program and Ecotrust.18 The team also reviewed occupational profiles on O*Net Online to ensure that duties, job titles, and descriptions corresponded to work identified as green infrastructure work by employers. This report incorporates the JFF team’s list of 30-core occupations as well as additional occupations identified by OAI, INC. in their stormwater training and maintenance needs assessment.19 This report uses OEWS BLS data from 2011 to 202120 and relies on two forms of statistical analysis: percent change and location quotient (LQ). Percent change is calculated by comparing employment numbers in 2021 to 2011by using the following formula: Percentage Change = New Value Old Value x 100

A location quotient is a ratio that allows the distribution of employment in one area to be compared to that of a reference area. In other words, it shows the concentration or strength of a particular industry in one location as compared to a larger location. For the purposes of this study, location quotient is used to compare the concentration of industries within the Chicago MSA to the United States. A location quotient that is greater than 1.0 reflects that a particular industry takes up a greater share of local employment than is the case nationwide. For example, the Wind Electric Power Generation industry in the Chicago MSA has a location quotient of .68, which means that compared to the United States as a whole, there is a lower concentration of jobs in this industry in the Chicago MSA. The formula to calculate location quotient is:

LQi = e ( ) / ( ) Ei E ei x 100

Where: ei= Local employment in industryi e = Total local employment

Ei= National employment in industryi

E= Total national employment

Employment Projections with Pandemic Recovery (Industry)

Through the 2020 National Employment Matrix21, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provided employment estimates for 2020 and projections for 2030, with adjustments for pandemic recovery. The BLS includes employment for specific occupations, as well as wage and salary information. These figures are for a base year and a projection of ten years in the future. Baseyear employment is calculated using data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS), the Current Employment Statistics program (CES), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and the Current Population Survey (CPS). BLS economists used both qualitative and quantitative sources, such as expert interviews and historical data, to forecast these changes in the future. The BLS defined pandemic recovery estimates as reversals of declines in employment levels that occurred between 2019 and 2020.

Employment Projections (Occupations)

The Illinois Department of Employment Security provided the projections for state and local statistical areas (IDES)22. Long-term occupation projections between 2020 and 2030 are included in state-wide projections. Long-term projections for local workforce areas (LWAs) between 2019 and 2028 are provided with Cook County designated as LWA 7.

Employment, Wages, Education, Location Quotient (Industry and Occupations)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes occupational employment and wage statistics for metropolitan and non-metropolitan area definitions used by the OEWS survey on their area definitions page. The estimates are based on information gathered from employers in all industry sectors in every metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area. The Chicago MSA is defined as Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, which includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. This report also examines national and state estimates.

Summary of Skills and Activities (Occupations)

The O*NET Program is a primary source of occupational information that assists in understanding the changing nature of industries and the impact these changes can have on their workforce in terms of the knowledge, skills, and education required to obtain these jobs. Occupations can be found using their SOC codes, and additional resources for potential employers or workers are available. Voorhees conducted workforce development analysis for various green economy occupations, and created a tool that generages one-page occupational profiles.