With the green economy on the rise, there is more and more demand for green collar workers. The East Bay city of Richmond is now taking action to give its residents a leg up for getting these new jobs in the clean-energy sector.

“The shift from a city that has suffered from heavy pollution and environmental degradation to the exact opposite, to being a leader in environmental change and environmental renewal is going to be the task and the pride of Richmond,” said Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin.

The city hopes that by training low income residents to install solar panels it will make job opportunities for them to get out of poverty. The training program is being organized by Solar Richmond and their partnerships with Richmond BUILD, a low-income construction training program, and GRID Alternatives, an organization that installs solar systems.

“It’s decent money, nobody’s going to get rich at $17 an hour, but I think what’s exciting is the possibilities,” said Michele McGeoy, Director of Solar Richmond. “I’m hoping that a couple of them, one day, will have their own companies.”

That’s because the green job field is still new and there is a lot of room for growth and advancement. McGeoy explained that during the training program, a man came and spoke to them about working in the solar business for 7 years. He was considered an old timer, and hearing that inspired many of the trainees.

“A green collar job is healthy to the environment and healthy to my pocket too,” said Aundre Collins, a trainee. “It’s a simple process, if you’ve ever replaced a light bulb or helped put together a bunk bed or a table, ever used a ratchet, then you should be able to put in a solar panel.”

After five days of training, Collins and his group of fellow trainees installed a new solar system on the roof of a resident’s home. Solar Richmond has plans to offer the solar training program four times a year.

Many experts predict that to meet the energy challenges of the future, the U.S. will need hundreds of thousands of green collar workers. The Green Jobs Act of 2007 will be voted on soon and, if passed, will give $120 million dollars a year to train workers across the country for green jobs.