Green Jobs: What They Are
and How to Find Them
December 15, 2009
Learning objectives
By the end of the webinar you will have a better
understanding of green jobs, including:
 What they are
 Which industries have the most growth potential
 Available education and training opportunities
 Where to find green job career resources online
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Welcome
Today’s presenters:
 Jim Cassio, green jobs career consultant and author
 Kathy Belyeu, Industry Information Services, American
Wind Energy Association (AWEA)
What is a green job?
 A green job is any job that is ‘good for the environment’
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Green terms and concepts
1.
Green & Sustainability
The ‘Three Pillars of Sustainability’
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Green terms and concepts
2. Green business
3. Greenwashing
4. Carbon emissions
5. Carbon footprint
6. Cap and trade
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Green terms and concepts
7. Renewable energy
8. Energy efficiency
9. Green building
10. Smart grid
11. Clean tech
12. Alternative fuel vehicle
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How many green jobs are there?
The best studies estimate that between 1% and 8%
of all jobs in U.S. are green jobs
The current Administration’s goal: create 5
million new green jobs over the next 10 years
www.recovery.gov
Research has identified 340 occupations that can
lead to a green job or career
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The problem with green job titles
Most green jobs don’t have titles which identify them as
green jobs
Employers rarely create descriptive job titles that indicate
the relationship of the job to the environment
To find green jobs, you need to know what specific jobs
and titles to look for, as well as what industries and
employers to focus on
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Where are green jobs?
With any employer that’s part of the green economy
With any green business or sustainable organization
that’s committed to being environmentally responsible
With non-green businesses and non-sustainable
organizations where the nature and purpose of the job is
‘good for the environment’
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Snapshot: Wind Energy
 What is the American Wind Energy Association?
www.awea.org
 AWEA’s mission and priorities
 Wind energy trends
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15 green economy sectors
1.
Energy Generation

Renewable energy generation - all forms: solar, wind,
geothermal, biomass, hydro, marine and tidal, hydrogen,
co-generation, etc.

Associated equipment, controls, and other management
software and services

Renewable energy consulting services

Research and testing in renewable energy
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15 green economy sectors
2.
Energy Efficiency

Energy conservation consulting and engineering services

Building efficiency products and services

Alternative energy appliances: solar heating, lighting, etc.

Energy efficiency research

Energy efficiency meters and measuring devices
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15 green economy sectors
3.
Alternative Fuel Transportation

Alternative fuels: biodiesel, hydrogen, non-corn-based
ethanol

Alternative fuel vehicles, parts and equipment: electric,
hybrid, natural gas vehicles, clean diesel, etc.
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15 green economy sectors
4.
Energy Storage

Advanced batteries: Li-Ion, NiMH, etc.

Battery components and accessories

Fuel cells
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15 green economy sectors
5.
Air and Environment

Emissions monitoring and control

Environmental consulting: environmental engineering,
sustainable business consulting

Environmental remediation and services

Habitat restoration services
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15 green economy sectors
6.
Recycling and Waste

Consulting services

Recycling - paper, metal, plastics, rubber, bottles,
automotive, wood, electronic waste and scrap

Waste treatment
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15 green economy sectors
7.
Water and Wastewater

Water treatment

Water conservation: control systems, meters and
measuring devices

Development and manufacturing of pump technology

Research and testing

Consulting services

Water treatment, purification products and services
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15 green economy sectors
8.
Agriculture

Sustainable and organic farming and ranching

Sustainable land management and business consulting
services

Sustainable supplies and materials

Sustainable aquaculture
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15 green economy sectors
9.
Research and Advocacy

Organizations and research institutes that focus on
advancing science and public education in the areas of
renewable energy, alternative fuels and transportation
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15 green economy sectors
10. Business Services

Legal services: environmental law and land use law

Green business portals

Green staffing services

Green marketing and public relations
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15 green economy sectors
11. Finance and Investment

Emission trading and offsets

Venture capital and private equity investment

Project financing: solar installations, biomass facilities, etc.

Socially responsible investing (SRI) services
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15 green economy sectors
12. Advanced Materials

Bioplastics

New materials for improving energy efficiency

Solar technologies
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15 green economy sectors
13. Green Building

Sustainable design and construction

Building materials

Site management

Green real estate and development

Sustainable landscape design and services
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15 green economy sectors
14. Manufacturing and Industrial

Renewable energy equipment and products

Recycling machinery manufacturing

Advanced packaging

Process management

Industrial surface cleaning

Organic food and beverage manufacturing
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15 green economy sectors
15. Energy Infrastructure

Consulting and management services

Cable and equipment
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Other industries with green jobs
 Bicycle related industries
 Cleaning and janitorial services – when they specialize in green
cleaning
 Clothing and accessories related industries – when their products
are made from organic and recycled material
 Ecotourism – when tourism is focused on environmental
protection, preservation and education
 Green or organic restaurants and food services
 Pesticide services – when they use organic pesticides
 Printing and publishing industries – when they’re committed to
sustainability
 Public transportation
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Nonprofit areas with green jobs
Agriculture, Sustainable/Organic Health
Natural History
Air Quality/Pollution
Climate Change
Oceanography
Ecosystems
Population
Energy
Sciences
Environmental Disasters
Sustainable/Green Business
Environmental Economics
Sustainable Development
Environmental Education
Transportation
Environmental Legislation/Policy Waste Management
Water Quality
Forest Management
Wildlife Management
Habitat Conservation
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Federal agencies with green jobs
 Army Corps of Engineers
 Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
 Department of Energy
 Environmental Protection Agency
 Fish and Wildlife Service
 Forest Service
 Geological Survey (USGS)
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin (NOAA)
 National Park Service
 Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
www.usajobs.gov
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State agencies with green jobs
 Agriculture and Food Safety
 Coastal Zone Management
 Community and Economic Development
 Emergency Services
 Energy
 Fisheries and Wildlife Protection
 Parks and Recreation
 Planning
 Pollution Control and Prevention
 Public Health
 Water Resources
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Local agencies with green jobs:
cities, counties and special districts
 Air Quality Management
 Conservation/Park Land Management
 Electricity
 Green Building
 Green Business
 Public Transportation
 Recycling
 Regional Planning
 Waste Management
 Water and Wastewater Treatment
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Green job education and training
Do I need training for a green job?
 It depends on the job and your existing skills
To be a competitive candidate, assess whether you
need:
 Additional Education
 Certification
 Licensing
 Knowledge and skills
 Volunteer experience
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Green job education and training
Community colleges are a key local resource
www.community-college.org
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Education and training resources
www.enviroeducation.com
www.irecusa.org
www.servicelocator.org
Education and training resources
www.veteransgreenjobs.org
Green job hunting resources (online)
 General Purpose Employment Websites:
Monster: www.monster.com
Yahoo! HotJobs: www.hotjobs.yahoo.com
CareerBuilder: www.careerbuilder.com
 Job Search Engines:
Indeed: www.indeed.com
 State Job Banks: www.jobbankinfo.org
 Local/Regional Employment Websites:
www.craigslist.com
 Local Newspaper Classified Ads
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Green job hunting resources (online)
 Niche Employment Websites: Includes job/career resource
websites that serve specific industries or professions,
including green jobs!
See the Green Careers Resource Guide
 Employer Websites
 Other Important Resources:
Going Green Jobs: www.goinggreenjobs.com
American Solar Energy Society: www.ases.org
American Wind Energy Association: www.awea.org
and www.careersinwind.com
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Hidden job market strategies
 Fact: Most jobs are never advertised; they’re promoted from
within or by word-of-mouth hiring
 Networking in today’s job market is essential; this includes
connecting with others both in person and online
 The secret to getting hired from within: get hired for a
different job (may include working in a lower level job,
working part time or on-call, working as a temp, or working
as a volunteer or unpaid intern)
Your objective: show them your knowledge, skills and
work ethic, and position yourself for a promotion to the
job you really want
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Networking resources
 GreenDrinks - informal networking group with over 500
chapters worldwide. Each chapter meets once a month to
share information and provide social and professional
networking opportunities. www.greendrinks.org
 EcoTuesday - a structured networking group for green/
sustainable business leaders; takes place on the
4thTuesday of each month in 10 cities across the U.S.
www.ecotuesday.com
 LinkedIn - online professional networking site that serves job
seekers and working professionals equally well. One green
jobs network group on LinkedIn has over 10,000 members!
www.linkedin.com
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Green news sources
 Green Economy Post: www.greeneconomypost.com
 GreenBiz.com: www.greenbiz.com
 Mother Earth News: www.motherearthnews.com
 Renewable Energy World:
www.renewableenergyworld.com
 Scientific American: www.scientificamerican.com
 TreeHugger: www.treehugger.com
 Triple Pundit: www.triplepundit.com
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Green career publications
www.cassio.com
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AARP Job Resources
 Job Tips: fact sheets covering a variety of job search topics
www.aarp.org/jobtips
 The Water Cooler: an online community for jobseekers 45+
www.aarp.org/thewatercooler
 Real Relief: an online site providing information and
resources for managing job loss and personal finances
www.aarp.org/realrelief