Happy Earth Day! Although originally an American event, it became global in 1990 and is currently celebrated in more than 175 countries worldwide. Going Green is a growing trend in the UK, as entrepreneurs and businesses are placing an increasing emphasis on green products and environmentally friendly procedures. This has led to the growth of many green jobs and careers, even in a recovering economy.
- Solar: In January this year, it was estimated that over 17,000 solar jobs would be created throughout 2011. The anticipated boom is thanks largely to the implementation of new government Feed in Tariffs (FiT's), which aims to increase the level of renewable energy used in the UK by businesses and households.
- Wind: With this drive to encourage the production and use of renewable energy, an increasing amount of wind farms have been constructed in the UK over the last 7-8 months. This growth has been particularly evident in the north of England and Scotland, where jobs in the wind industry have been created for specialist construction workers as well as civil engineers.
- Climate Change and Energy Efficiency: Climate change is becoming an important consideration for UK and global organizations. As governments are encouraging more environmentally friendly practices, so too are companies having to reduce their carbon emissions and manage their energy output more efficiently.
Areas of Job Growth and How to Target Them
There is a clear and sharp focus on both renewable energy and the reduction of carbon emissions in the UK. As important social issues, our government is continuing to implement legislation to combat them, which is forcing businesses to change their operational strategies and create jobs to help them become compliant. So, exactly what jobs will be created and how do you go about obtaining one?
- Research and Development is a key area for growth in the environmental sector, as companies have only recently begun to measure their carbon emissions and environmental performance. There are many job opportunities for research and development roles, especially to develop careers in both carbon emission reduction and solar plants.
- Engineers are crucial to the development of green procedures in companies, especially in the design and application of existing and new technology. The demands of renewable and natural energy require the skills of electrical, chemical and civil engineers to function well.
- There are a number of companies who offer expert advice in making companies more environmentally aware and friendly. They employ environmental consultants to help their client to reduce their carbon emissions and improve their green credentials. This sector is known as a prolific employer of graduates, as it is a relatively new concept which requires contemporary and relevant skills above experience.
Remember, while many of these roles require an engineering degree or a similar qualification in chemistry or physics, there is also a need for someone who has a keen social and ecological awareness. In fact, green jobs also include accounting, marketing and sales positions at green companies.
Finally, in honour of Earth Day, Simply Hired announced a new specialty filter last week for Green Jobs which allows job seekers to find jobs within the green industry.
The Green Jobs filter can be found at www.simplyhired.co.uk/green, on the special searches page, or within the Special Filters on the left side of any search results page.
Start your job search today and work to save our planet!
