ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY STUDIES
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How Many Workers Does the Weatherization Assistance
Program Employ Now? What Jobs Will the Recovery Act Offer?
This analysis estimates the current size of the Weatherization Assistance Program (DOE
W.A.P.) state and local workforce based on the conventional US Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA) model for the construction trades. See http://www.bea.gov/. It compares that result
to information collected in recent interviews and focus groups with local weatherization
providers as well as our 2002 survey of similar organizations.
http://www.opportunitystudies.org/weatherization-plus/leveraged-programs/surveys/
At least 21,000 jobs were created by the 2008 program, which closes in
March of 2009. More than a third were the program’s direct employees or
contractors.
The AARA funding will result in 133,345 new jobs.
With all other funding, the network’s investments will probably total $6.75
Billion over two years and result in 173,350 jobs altogether.
It Takes a Model: There are no more recent field
data on the Weatherization workforce size than
those in our 2002 study; further, data on the total
resources spent in a calendar year or program year
using all funding sources including the Department
of Energy funding are incomplete. BEA’s
construction sector modeling assumes that every
$1 million spent in
the construction
industry, which
includes home
remodeling and
bridge construction,
generates 26.67
jobs whether direct, indirect or imputed.
Indirect jobs are those created because of expenditures for
construction other than wages and benefits. In the case of
Weatherization, that means the jobs of the suppliers of
insulation, blower doors, infrared scanning equipment, vans,
efficient appliances and heating systems, as well as
conventional building materials and tools. Others employed
are the ex