Older workers looking for Maryland job openings, as well as openings in some other states, will soon get some help.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently gave $10 million to organizations that connect older workers with jobs. The money is meant to retrain workers who are 55 and older for jobs in high-growth industries, such as healthcare or green-collar jobs.

The funds were broken up into 10 grants worth about $1 million each and given to organizations in Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. On top of that, the Atlantic Philanthropies will invest another $3.6 million toward the effort.

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An extended effort to go green will help create several Maryland construction jobs.

Gov. Martin O’Malley recently announced that the State of Maryland is expanding its home weatherization program, which is designed to benefit thousands of low-income families and create new construction jobs throughout the state. The funding will be stretched out over three years and weatherize about 6,800 homes. On top of that, at least 150 green-collar jobs will be created through local weatherization agencies.

“As families throughout Maryland struggle to pay their energy bills, we are able to take significant steps to reduce their energy costs, while ensuring their health and safety, thanks to the President’s economic recovery plan,” O’Malley said.

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The creation of Maryland’s first Clean Energy Center will help create thousands of green-collar jobs. Click here to see more Maryland jobs.

The facility will be located at the Camille Kendall Academic Center at the University of Maryland, The Universities at Shady Grove. The center will help support the state’s “smart, green and growing” efforts by offering assistance to newly developed technologies with pilot projects; the collection, analysis and dissemination of industry data and providing outreach and technical support to further Maryland’s clean energy industry.

“Today’s announcement marks yet another large step towards our goal of creating 100,000 ‘green collar’ jobs by 2015,” Gov. Martin O’Malley said in a press release. “This Center will leverage greater opportunities for our workers and a cleaner, greener Maryland for our families.

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In a time when many employees are looking for stable careers that will help the environment and be more self-fulfilling, there is a new focus on DC green jobs.

With newly-elect President Barack Obama ready to take office, many environmentalists are asking politicians that more green initiatives be included in his plan to help the economy by boosting public works spending. According to an article by The Baltimore Sun, the nation as a whole has come up with more than 15,000 public works projects at a cost of $96 billion. If approved, these projects could result in the creation of 1 million jobs.

In Washington D.C., the Blue Plains sewage treatment plant needs about $3.2 billion to improve its ability to keep harmful nutrients out of the Potomac River. The Baltimore and Annapolis areas are hoping to complete more than 50 projects at a cost of $380 million.

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VA environmental jobs are crucial to the state’s economy.

According to a study by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, which was presented at the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention at The Homestead, Virginia’s agriculture and forestry industries have a $79 billion impact on the state’s economy. The two industries alone create about 501,500 jobs, or 10.3 percent of the state’s employment.

While the industries play an important role in Virginia’s economy, experts say there are favorable and unfavorable aspects to each industry, and the general public is drifting further away from both industries. According to an article by The News Virginian, the state can do more with its agriculture and forestry industries. One idea is that state farmers should diversify into farmers markets, agritourism, wineries, hay rides, pumpkin patches and pick-your-own places.

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People in Maryland are focusing on green energy, something that could create many new Maryland construction jobs.

The largest solar manufacturing assembly plant, owned by BP Solar, is located in Frederick, Maryland. The plant provides plenty of skilled jobs for workers, and the further development of alternative energy could provide millions more jobs while at the same time increase the country’s independence on foreign energy.

According to an article by the Baltimore Sun, newly-elect President Barack Obama has promised to invest in alternative fuels. However, as the economy has made the cost of oil and natural gas lower as of late, that goal might be harder to reach.

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The approval of many new clean energy projects should create several Pennsylvania construction jobs.

The State of Pennsylvania recently announced it would invest $12 million in alternative clean energy projects that will create about 1,200 full-time and part-time jobs. The projects, approved by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, are expected to garner $118 million in private investments, according to an article by Market Watch.

“We are investing in Pennsylvania businesses and organizations that are committed to the development of clean-burning home-grown fuels and renewable energy sources,” Governor Rendell said in the article. “The investment in innovative technologies and energy efficiency will help drive energy costs down, provide affordable energy, create good-paying, green jobs in communities throughout the state and reduce our dependence on foreign fuel.”

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With the recent importance of being earth-friendly, some youths are exploring green jobs in Washington D.C.

The city is expanding its Green Summer Job Corps, and offering hundreds of Washington, D.C. jobs to youth who will help beautify public housing for the rest of the summer. Luckily this program is flourishing, as the city recently had a problem with its Summer Youth Employment Program.

The Green Summer Job Corps is is a program administered by the DC Department of the Environment. Existing corps members have spent the summer learning about environmental protection, cleaning up rivers, parks and schools and educating the public, according to a press release from the District of Columbia.

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