With graduation right around the corner, many undergraduates are beginning to explore and apply for jobs and enter the workforce for the first time. Many adults are doing the same, as according to a recent University of Pheonix study, “more than that more than half (55 percent) of working adults are interested in changing careers.” The more and more the government and world invests in green energy and developments, the faster green jobs are growing and becoming suitable options for a career path. What if you want to turn your avocation of protecting the environment into a vocation? What if you want to start making sustainable improvements on a grander scale? If so, check out the following list of sustainable careers in different fields as well as some brief descriptions of what they are:
Solar Electric Practitioner (Solar Power Installer)- Don’t underestimate this position! There are 770,000 of these jobs internationally! Paying a sufficient salary, the position is expected to further expand, as predicted investments in green technologies is said to increase in the upcoming years. These practitioners “assemble, install, or maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on roofs or other structures.” Proficiency in construction is necessary as tasks often include measuring, bolting, and putting together the panels as well as activating and monitoring them.
Conservation Biologist- this job can manifest in many different fields including in fieldwork, lab research, nonprofit work, and academia. With an above average salary, the job is concentrated in the hard sciences but can also be associated with a variety of types of work environments and people ranging from farmers to students. The field can include studies of both microscopic and macroscopic objects of life and does require at least a bachelor’s degree.
Urban Planner- This job is vital to really pushing forward sustainable initiatives, as cities are major producers of pollution and fossil fuels. People in this position work to reduce urban sprawl, solidify infrastructure such as public transportation, plan for disasters as a result of poor city environments, and set up bike-share systems. This job is chiefly found in realms of government and its sector if “projected to grow 15 percent by 2016.”
Sustainability Systems Developer-This job can include both physical and technological aspects in its mission of producing green developments. On the one hand, the job may encompass coding and developing software to create green intelligence that can for instance monitor the amount of a natural resource or program motion sensors for sustainable needs. On the other hand, this job can encompass engineering strategies that tackle issues of designs for efficient buildings or create models for wind farms. The job has a wide salary range depending on the specialization within it.
Environmental Entrepreneur– This job requires out of the box thinking, passion, determination, and perseverance. Entrepreneurship generally is becoming a popular career in modern times, but especially within the already growing field of environmentalism. Business and environmental science merge in this career and produce a more creative, hands-on approach to addressing sustainability. The job even has its own section of msnbc! Check it out here.
Eco Fashion Designer- While at first glance, this career may sound out of place in this list, in reality it fits right in! Using organic clothing and sustainable materials (such as corn, organic cotton and bamboo) for designs is trending right now in the high fashion world. Artist like Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg are working to be a part of this craze. Termed “eco-apparel,” the trend reflects the increasing conscientiousness of people from all woks of life. This unique job is on the rise, and in fact, some fashion experts say “Green may soon be the new black.”
As you can see there are environmental jobs in so many different fields including but not limited to hard science, architecture, technology, construction, politics, art, and business! This means if you have a passion for the environment and are looking for a green career, there is definitely one out there for you.
Written by Julie Elliot, class of 2015
Photo by: US Fish and Wildlife Service, http://www.public-domain-image.com/full-image/science-public-domain-images-pictures/biology-pictures/person-feeds-a-baby-mississippi-sandhill-crane.jpg-royalty-free-stock-photo.html
Sources:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1129671/ten-best-green-jobs-next-decade
http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/10/top-5-green-jobs-rise-united-states/
