Thursday, September 2, 2010

Green Careers: An Emerging Trend

With the changing times, the various industries of today have taken a new focus. Just as the spotlight was on human welfare in the Industrial Revolution, the present highlight is corporate environmental responsibility. More and more industries are going green and pushing for sustainability. In turn, this is giving rise to more and more green career opportunities.

As whole industries shift to green practices, new job possibilities are opening up for those that have the skills to bridge the divide between the old and the new, energy-efficient dawn. Corporations are now partnering with non-profit organizations and hiring corporate social managers. In addition, these same companies are waking up to the potential in green marketing: that reducing the environmental impact is as good for future profits as it is for the planet at large.

Jumpstarting your green career is no different from starting a regular one. There are no secrets or industry inside techniques. As a relatively young field, you just need to select your choice of green economy where you can apply your acquired job skills, such as machine operations, sales, management, web skills, and even clerical and administrative skills. A nonprofit or sustainable industry or coordinating sustainable practices from within a corporate entity are just some of the places where one can find a new career.

Fortunately, like stated above, the numbers of industries going green are increasing by the days. And along with the industries, business leaders are also going green, thus providing more opportunities for people to start building their green careers, among these are hotel and resort industry giants Marriott and Hilton. As expected from any market, other minor developers and hotel operators all over the world, are following on the two’s footsteps and helping create a greener and more energy efficient leisure market.

Other green jobs lie in the organic food industry, ecotourism and marketing of energy-efficient technology, which anyone with basic industry knowledge and a good work ethic can get into and build a great green career. However, there are other green jobs, like in green building or solar panel installing, that require a specialized set of skills which cannot be acquired from other industries. Luckily, there are classes, some provided by non-profit organizations that teach these skills to fill the growing needs. Having these classes around provides two benefits: First, it supplies special skills that will provide a person a job, thus, reducing the number of unemployment; secondly, that green job exists for the sake of having more earth-friendly businesses, thus, also benefitting the environment.

Green jobs and green industries are here to stay. Providing benefits for the environment and the people, they can serve as a portal for skilled or even ordinary citizens to start building a green career.

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