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Green Collar Careers - Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can people really earn $500 a day doing Home Energy Audits?
A.  Yes, absolutely!  A typical Home Energy Audit will take 2-3 hours and average rates are between $150 and $200.   Most of the time you'll find you can line up 3-4 homes in the same neighborhood on the same day.

Q. What kind of equipment do I need to perform a Home Energy Audit?
A.  You will need screwdrivers to remove panels & covers, a set of nut drivers from 3/16"-7/16", pliers, flashlight and a shopvac.  A portable PC and portable printer is recommended but not required as you can mail the reports and invoice. 

Q. I don't have the skills to perform home repairs, do I need to learn?
A.  You should be able to vacuum condenser coils, change light bulbs, replace door seals and set thermostats (programmable and water heater) at a minimum.  You may choose to contract other services to a local handyman.  As you'll see, the majority of savings from a Home Energy Audit really comes from some very simple things.

Q. Should I take items like Compact Fluorescent Lights and Door Seals to the Audit Site?
A.  Yes.  Often a homeowner will be willing to have everything done on the same day.  While they could buy the CFLs themselves, its a just taking inventory on the CFLs they need is a chore.  If you buy CFLs in bulk you can make over $1 each profit while providing value to the customer.

Q. How do I get my first customer?
A.  You should be your own first customer.  Try out what you've learned in the Demand Management Module on your own home first.  When you're ready to take the next step create a flyer that explains what you'll do and what it can potentially save.  Select your opportunities by searching for neighborhoods with homes between 10-20 years of age and over 3500 square feet in size.  These homes are generally ripe with savings.

Q. Will I need to work on HVAC Systems?
A.  Other then vacuuming coils NO! There are plenty of HVAC contractors out there who will be willing to pay you a referral fee should you suspect the HVAC system needs work.

Q. How do I sell and install solar heating and electric systems?
A.  After you've gone through maybe 50 or so Home Energy Audits you'll find people will often inquire about these systems.  In most cases home owners will need to finance these units so before jumping in too early get some experience under your belt.  Home Energy Audits tend to stimulate the interest in expanding to a renewable energy system, not the other way around.  That why a number of plumbers who try to go straight to solar water installation fail - they don't understand the value of "up selling".

Q. It sounds like I'll be relying on contractors a lot, what kind of contractors will I need to line up?
A.  One of the great things about this business is you can choose how much "heavy lifting" to do.  It would be beneficial to have a trustworthy General Handyman you can subcontract to who will be able to respond within a week.  As you move into selling renewable energy products like solar or wind appliances you will need installers, electricians, and should have good knowledge of major banking institute home equity loan policies.  (You won't be selling loans, only for advising customers for financing of the systems).  Spend a half hour at each of 3-4 major banks to learn about their Home Equity loans when you're ready to tackle renewable energy products.

Q. What if I decide this business isn't right for me?
A.  Of course like any real business this will take considerable effort to get started, but not much at all of an investment, so should you change your mind, all you've lost is time.  Few other business ventures offer as little risk as this does.

Q. Will the training at Green Collar Job Training - Free help me to find a Green Collar job?
A.  Certainly it will help.  The training here is geared to understanding the basic elements of the systems and provides some forward looking information on new systems coming.  While the focus is on the consumer level goods, the same technology applies to industrial systems such as large scale Wind Turbines mounted 300 feet in the air.

Q. How many people have taken Green Collar Job Training?
A.  Though late 2007 and all of 2008 George Baker provided training through Outplacement Services to over 1500 people.  These were 4 day courses held across the country for laid off employees with Outplacement Services provided to them by their former employers.  Of them over 300 have successfully started new businesses, another 200+ have taken jobs in the Green Collar industry.  It may not be for everyone, however over 1/3 have been able to use this program to leverage their career direction.

Q. How long does the Green Collar Job Training Course take to learn?
A.  Everyone is a little different, but on the average 36 hours of structured reading along with watching some of the animations, and another 36-40 hours of independent research using the internet.  At the bottom right of each page there is a custom Search Tool configured with keywords that will focus on internet research targeted to relevant web pages.  The advertising links are also keyword driven and may provide some excellent sources of relevant research.  These links are the only form of revenue to pay for the server and administration of this website.  

Q. Are there there structured classroom training programs for Green Collar Jobs?
A.  Yes, there are a handful of programs that are taught across the country.  Be prepared to break open the piggy bank as these classes often cost over $300 - $500 a day and are 1-2 weeks long.  You may need to travel a couple hundred miles to attend one.