Submitted by Green Specialist and YOUR Team Career member, Victoria Andrew…
Both the economy and our environment are in state of crisis. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9.8% of the labor force is unemployed. The Environmental Defense Fund reports the carbon dioxide level is higher today that it has been in measurable history, which is 2.1 million years. Glaciers are melting, and coastal wetlands will soon vanish will the rising sea level.
Despite the earth and our economy being in danger, good news is on the horizon. Jobs in the sustainable energy field are poised for explosive growth. Currently, the demand for renewable energy is opening more than 9 million jobs and $10 billion in revenue in United States.
Although penetrating the green collar industry is highly similar to any career transition, there are a few differences to consider:
* Do not be intimidated. No one is an expert in green collar jobs.
“Don’t worry about starting at the bottom! You’re never going to have another opportunity in your career where the bottom is so close to the top. Someone with three years of biofuel experience is already a foremost expert in the country,” states Dawn Dzurilla, President of Gaia Human Capital Consultants
* Embrace learning with passion!
We are on the verge of an exhilarating renaissance in product development and innovation. For every new career, such as a wind turbine fabricator or photovoltaic engineer, there are 10 to 12 jobs automatically created to support it. Instead of allowing anxiety over uncharted territory to sabotage your interests, seize this opportunity to learn as much as possible on new and emerging developments in sustainable energy. Keep yourself informed with cutting-edge websites, such as www.greenjobs.com
* Pursue grassroots organizations instead of Fortune 500 businesses.
Acceleration in your green career growth is catalyzed by investing in companies that take new energy initiatives seriously, as opposed to just having a little green on the side. According to Michael Eckhart, President of ACORE, “There’s a high probability that the winners are going to be companies no one has heard of so far, such as Better Place. They are the ones that will be exploding within the next five to ten years.”
* Take the green temperature of your targeted company.
Pay close attention to any hiring green company to confirm if their commitment is pursued with 100% integrity. If the Green Expert is reporting to the CSR instead of the CFO, then that is not the company for you. Be direct, and ask penetrating questions on the company’s green priorities. Assess their view of green-washing rules, and discover how they plan to brand themselves as a green washer. Pursue further research on your company’s green level by checking the State of Green Business Report on GreenBiz.com: www.stateofgreenbusiness.com
Job seekers from every segment of society are anxious to transfer their skills to the renewable energy industry in order to benefit from the infusion of capital, effort, and opportunity. An investment in your career and our mother earth holds the promise of a better tomorrow.
Danny Huffman, MA, CEIP, CPCC, CPRW
Owner, Author, Publisher
Career Services International, www.careersi.com
Education Career Services, www.educationcs.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhuffman
