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Pitch

Do not look for a job, do the job that needs to get done!


Description

Summary

The current (passive, expectant) approach for getting a job:

       Government or corporations post job offers<- people apply<- people do a job according to the limits and possibilities of the hiring entity<-high unemployment rates <- few organizations working on what is important.

The proposed (proactive, dynamic) approach:

      People generate solutions->government and corporations guide & support-> problems (climate change related and unemployment) get solved

How it works:

The model parts from the following assumptions:

  • People have skills, talents to solve problems
  • People are located in all places capable of bringing the scalability needed
  • Most people lack the strategic information needed to implement solutions for the right (most urgent) problems.
  • Given the adequate guidelines people can align their skills with the top global priorities
  • There should not be unemployment when there is so much work to do.

 

I propose that governments and job agencies at all levels proactively generate "job offers" based on the most urgent needs for facing climate change not on budgets available for hiring people. Citizens apply to the "job offer" by generating specific solutions (business models) for their region or community. Governments invest resources in accelarating a business model and attracting venture capitalists. At the end of the process, unemployment is addressed while levereging economic growth with climate change adaptation.


Category of the action

Changing public perceptions on climate change


What actions do you propose?

Change the dynamics of the job market to one where people accomodate themselves to solve the most urgent problems in their communities or regions according to their skills and talents.

For instance, a platform with job announcements would include something like:

"30% of water sources polluted in X, Y and Z counties, lack of adequate information systems prevent researchers from getting lab sample results promptly" 

The post will be supported with additional information and classified according to type of skills involved (e.g. IT, chemist, etc.), the region where the solution is needed, key contact points, etc.

The approach takes on the idea of open innovation as CoLab, OpenIdeo, etc. but addressing specific actors and problems at the local and regional levels.

The main task of governments will be not on attracting direct capital investors for job generation but on spreading the word about what specifically needs to get done and on attracting venture capital investors willing to support, advise and invest in local enterprises which, of course, have the chance of being scaled to other regions.

 


Who will take these actions?

Any NGO could take the initiative but the ideal would be that eventually the government gets involved so that the shift occurs faster. 


Where will these actions be taken?

At every city and town in order to change the perception of people when thinking that someone else will solve climate change and that someone else will give them a job.


How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?


What are other key benefits?

Making a logic use of the resources available. Is the problem lack of jobs, lack of action or lack of adequately positioning people to work towards climate change mitigation?

Are we struggling with economic issues while we actually have plenty of opportunities to create dynamic economies by assigning a preponderant place to work towards environmental friendliness?


What are the proposal’s costs?

Not estimated yet. Just an idea that has been rounding in my head for a while but willing to take it further.


Time line

Summer 2013- Make compelling proposal and test the approach among a small social network.

Fall 2013-Involve local agencies, business community, scientists, investors in the shift of approach.


Related proposals

Something like Climate exchange would be a key source of specific ideas and projects to be proposed as "job offers" at specific communities. Actually, any job offer will be based on a previous study of regional needs where scientific and professional minds come together to identify the priority problems to be solved.


References