Good Jobs for a Greener Future
In Arizona and New Mexico, three Green Jobs for Economic Opportunity Fund grantees are creating a blueprint for improving access to good jobs while advancing climate goals. Organized Power in Numbers, UAW Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy (UAW-CMGE) and The Semilla Project are united in their efforts to help underserved populations access jobs that pay a living wage, provide career advancement opportunities and offer robust worker protections and benefits.
Through strategic partnerships with local governments and the leverage of federal investments like the CHIPS and Science Act, Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, these organizations are preparing workers for green jobs and diversifying local economies.
Their work closely aligns with GitLab Foundation’s definition of good jobs: roles that provide outsized income gains and benefits as well as clear pathways to advancement, particularly in sectors with high demand and low supply, such as green energy, technology and manufacturing. These jobs not only help individuals achieve economic mobility and financial stability but have the potential to transform entire communities. This is especially critical in regions like Arizona and New Mexico, where underserved populations have historically lacked access to these opportunities.
Over the next decade, more than nine million green jobs are expected to be created, with salaries as much as 19% higher than national averages. At GitLab Foundation, we believe now is the time to invest in transforming the future of green industries to ensure they offer not only environmental benefits but also pathways to economic mobility for thousands of workers.
Organized Power in Numbers, UAW-CMGE and The Semilla Project’s work across Arizona and New Mexico addresses both the opportunities and the challenges presented by the region’s growing green economy. With significant federal investment flowing into the clean energy sector, there is vast potential to create thousands of high-paying, union-backed jobs.
“The jobs and the growing economy aren’t a bad thing,” said Rosemarie Molina, deputy executive director of Organized Power in Numbers. “But we need to make sure that it's a balanced thing. New green jobs should be good jobs with really high labor standards and people need to be informed and prepared for these opportunities.”
Organized Power in Numbers is deeply involved in New Mexico, where — supported by GitLab Foundation funding — they are leading efforts to address both workers' rights and climate justice. They partner with The Semilla Project to connect rural and underserved communities to the growing green economy. Their efforts focus on educating workers about their rights and ensuring that they have access to union jobs that offer safety, stability and benefits. Their work in New Mexico is informed by their broader regional strategy to merge workers’ rights and climate change across the Southwest.
Organized Power in Numbers engages in a community-based approach, working closely with local governments and like-minded organizations to ensure that green job opportunities are available to everyone. Through organizing and advocacy, they are shaping the future of the region’s workforce.
The Semilla Project develops workforce solutions with a focus on racial equity and climate justice. They are in the process of conducting a landscape analysis of job opportunities over the next decade, identifying key industries where green jobs will flourish. Their program begins with a seven-week pre-apprenticeship, followed by a placement with employers in fields like natural resources and outdoor recreation.
“Besides job training and environmental education, we also give participants the tools to become an advocate and a changemaker in their future careers,” said Elizabeth Cuna, executive director of The Semilla Project.
The program’s success speaks to the growing need for talent and continued investment in the green economy. Already, 187 young people are on the waiting list for the first cohort — a clear indicator of the demand for good jobs in this emerging sector.
Meanwhile, in Arizona, UAW-CMGE is expanding recruitment efforts for green job training programs, particularly in the state’s emerging battery manufacturing industry. UAW-CMGE ensures these training programs provide pathways for underrepresented workers to secure well-paying jobs with benefits.
Its efforts in Arizona are informed by its success in California, where the organization formed a partnership with the Sparkz corporation to offer a training program for careers in the battery industry. The training program’s four core pillars — equitable recruitment, pre-employment training, wraparound services and apprenticeships — ensure that underrepresented groups have pathways into safe, stable and well-paying jobs.
Through collaborating and sharing their expertise and networks, Organized Power in Numbers, UAW-CMGE and The Semilla Project are shaping the future of work in Arizona, New Mexico and beyond by ensuring that green jobs are good jobs that are accessible to all.
Return on Investment
Organized Power in Numbers
162x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $17,727 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $167,113 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $45,956,208
$250,000 invested
UAW Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy
112x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $32,513 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $63,650 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $63,649,999
$500,000 invested
The Semilla Project
137x ROI
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $36,675 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $366,775 per person
Total lifetime earnings increase across all participants: $39,112,493
$250,000 invested
