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 AARP Education & Outreach 2 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’ AARP Education & Outreach 4 Green terms and concepts 1. Green & Sustainability The ‘Three Pillars of Sustainability’ AARP Education & Outreach 5 Green terms and concepts 2. Green business 3. Greenwashing 4. Carbon emissions 5. Carbon footprint 6. Cap and trade AARP Education & Outreach 6 Green terms and concepts 7. Renewable energy 8. Energy efficiency 9. Green building 10. Smart grid 11. Clean tech 12. Alternative fuel vehicle AARP Education & Outreach 7 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 AARP Education & Outreach 8 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 AARP Education & Outreach 9 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’ AARP Education & Outreach 10 Snapshot: Wind Energy What is the American Wind Energy Association? www.awea.org AWEA’s mission and priorities Wind energy trends AARP Education & Outreach 11 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 AARP Education & Outreach 12 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 AARP Education & Outreach 13 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. AARP Education & Outreach 14 15 green economy sectors 4. Energy Storage Advanced batteries: Li-Ion, NiMH, etc. Battery components and accessories Fuel cells AARP Education & Outreach 15 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 AARP Education & Outreach 16 15 green economy sectors 6. Recycling and Waste Consulting services Recycling - paper, metal, plastics, rubber, bottles, automotive, wood, electronic waste and scrap Waste treatment AARP Education & Outreach 17 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 AARP Education & Outreach 18 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 AARP Education & Outreach 19 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 AARP Education & Outreach 20 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 AARP Education & Outreach 21 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 AARP Education & Outreach 22 15 green economy sectors 12. Advanced Materials Bioplastics New materials for improving energy efficiency Solar technologies AARP Education & Outreach 23 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 AARP Education & Outreach 24 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 AARP Education & Outreach 25 15 green economy sectors 15. Energy Infrastructure Consulting and management services Cable and equipment AARP Education & Outreach 26 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 AARP Education & Outreach 27 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 AARP Education & Outreach 28 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 AARP Education & Outreach 29 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 AARP Education & Outreach 30 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 AARP Education & Outreach 31 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 AARP Education & Outreach 32 Green job education and training Community colleges are a key local resource www.community-college.org AARP Education & Outreach 33 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 AARP Education & Outreach 36 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 AARP Education & Outreach 37 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 AARP Education & Outreach 38 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 AARP Education & Outreach 39 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 AARP Education & Outreach 40 Green career publications www.cassio.com AARP Education & Outreach 41 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
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