California Green Collar Jobs Council Meets Today In Sacramento

Former Undersecretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to Chair Newly Created California Green Collar Jobs Council

Barry R. Sedlik is President of California Business Ventures,
a Pasadena-based firm concentrating on smart growth and
transit-oriented development

Los Angeles, CA – The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency has announced the appointment of Barry R. Sedlik to chair the California Green Collar Jobs Council. The formation of the Council stems from last year’s passage of former Speaker Fabian Nunez’s bill, AB 3018.

“I look forward to working with the Council and stakeholders across California to build upon the great advantages California has already achieved in advancing green industries,” said Sedlik. “Devising a strategy to expand sustainable green jobs is a critical task in the current economy. We need to make sure these jobs provide a springboard for future careers and are not just one-time jobs in response to a short-term economic stimulus."

Describing the charge of the Council, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “The Green Collar Jobs Council will work with leaders in education, workforce development and business throughout the state to ensure California is on the leading edge of the new green economy - and able to meet the job demands it brings.”

California is expected to receive its share of the $838-billion economic stimulus package, which is before Congress. A sizeable portion is expected to focus on green job training and workforce skills in support of infrastructure projects, renewable energy development, and energy innovation. Sedlik has already met with dozens of representatives from local job resource centers and state and local agencies that attended a symposium held in Irwindale, CA on job development sponsored by the Los Angeles County Workforce Investment Board.

The Green Collar Jobs Council is tasked with understanding the current and future workforce needs of the Green/Clean economy, developing a comprehensive strategy to prepare California’s workforce to meet the needs of businesses supporting the economy and ensure that efforts aimed at improving worker’s skills are coordinated and effective.

The Green Collar Jobs Act, signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 26, 2008, establishes the Green Collar Jobs Council under the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB). The CWIB is charged with developing a comprehensive workforce development plan for the State as described in the Workforce Training Act of 2008 and with federal responsibilities outlined in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The first meeting of the Council is Wednesday, February 11, 2009 in Sacramento.

California Workforce Investment Board’s Green Collar Jobs Council Membership Roster:

Barry Sedlik, Council Chair; President, California Business Ventures, Pasadena, CA
Doug Hoffner, Acting Secretary, Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), Sacramento, CA.
Jamil Dada, Senior Financial Manager, Provident Bank, Riverside, CA
The Honorable Karen Bass, Speaker /District 47, California State Assembly District 47
Bob Balgenorth, President, State Building and Trade Council of California, Sacramento, CA
The Honorable Jack O’Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sacramento, CA
Willie Washington. California Manufacturers & Technology Association, Sacramento, CA
The Honorable Sandré Swanson, Assembly Member District 16, California State Assembly
Jack Scott, Chancellor, California Community Colleges, Sacramento, CA
Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary/Treasurer, California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Oakland, CA
Norris Bishton, Attorney, NOARUS Auto Group, Los Angeles, CA
Audrey Taylor, President/ CEO, Chabin Concepts, Inc., Chico, CA
Dale Bonner, Secretary, Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, Sacramento, CA
Kim Belshé, Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency Sacramento, CA
The Honorable Denise Ducheny, Senator 40th District, California State Senate
Karen Douglas, Commissioner, California Energy Commission, Sacramento, CA
James Goldstein, Director, Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA
Timothy Simon, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, CA
Brian McMahon, director, California Employment and Training Panel, Sacramento, CA
Stewart Knox, Chair, California Workforce Association, Yuba City, CA
Randall Hernandez, Sr. V.P/Sr. Public Policy Executive, Bank of America Foundation, Long Beach, CA
Marty Keller, Director, Office of the Small Business Advocate, Governor’s Office of Planning & Research
Sacramento, CA

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