In the face of pressing challenges such as climate change, extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions, the green transition has become imperative. Initiatives such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act demonstrate the United States’ commitment to achieving a green transition, and are expected to create approximately 17 million new jobs over the next decade. However, skill gaps and workforce bottlenecks across local labour markets are emerging as major challenges in filling the growing number of green vacancies in the United States. This policy brief draws on subnational examples of workforce development for the green transition to provide actionable insights in three core areas: developing attractive career transition pathways, improving inclusivity, and promoting collaboration and policy coherence.