It’s a term rising in popularity in the job market, the idea of jobs being ‘green’. Today we’ll discus the what, why and how when it comes to going green in your employment.

What are green jobs?

Green jobs are jobs that work within the environmental sector, and focus on environment restoration. This could include working roles you’d traditionally associate with the environment such as renewables, waste management, and agriculture.

However, these jobs also include new emerging markets and technologies like electric vehicles, ‘clean’ energy, administration (environmental law, data analyst), engineering, construction, and manufacturing.

The term also covers jobs within the circular economy, that contribute to the reduce, reuse and recycle system. Check out our last blog on the circular economy for more information.

A green job is simply any career that helps towards environmental restoration and climate change prevention. An impactful job.

Why work in a green job?

The green economy is something that is growing every day. The job market is no different. Green jobs are growing at four times the rate of the overall employment market.

This growth is in part due to government investment. Governments are pushing for more green, sustainable jobs to help combat climate change. In the UK specifically, a Green Jobs Delivery Group has been created to help create and deliver an additional 480,000 skilled green jobs by 2030.

A report by the International Labour Organization has stated that 24 million jobs could be created by 2030, with the shift towards a greener economy.

In addition to the significant growth of the sector, a career in the environmental sector allows you to make a tangible difference. It would allow you to actively contribute to the fight against climate change, which leads to increased job satisfaction.

How to get a ‘green’ job

Just like any employment type, there are a range of different ways you can get a green job.

These include:

• You can now undertake degrees, college courses or specific accreditations which will help when applying into the sector.
• Apprenticeships, or upskilling/training that companies will offer alongside employment.
• Transferable skills. If you think your current role has no similarities to jobs in the green sector. Think again. Many of your skills could be transferrable skills that can be applied to green jobs. From project management to communication, finance to data analysis, a wide range of skills are currently being sought after within the environmental sector. A good place to start would be to identify how your current skills can be tailored to green jobs to increase your chances of finding employment in the field.
• Engage with a recruitment agency! They have both the knowledge of the industry specifically, the vast contacts within the sector and the additional recruitment knowledge where they can help with CVs, interviews, and onboarding. Contact us today to find out more.

It is also important that you network within the industry and engage with professionals. These networks can provide valuable insights, job opportunities and mentorship.

Benefits of working in a ‘green’ job

There are many benefits to working within a green job. These include the obvious benefits such as the knowledge that you are playing an active role in the prevention of climate change.

Green jobs are also beneficial to your personal growth. The sector itself, as indicated above, is growing quickly and significantly, this means that you will be able to grow with it. Working in the green sector allows you to undertake continuous learning opportunities, and will provide exposure to cutting-edge technologies and practices.

The growth of the industry also means that the field itself offers significant job diversity and mobility. Green jobs span various industries which will allow you to choose from a wide range of positions and sectors, build your skills and then move across industries if you should wish to.

Embracing a green job is essential for a sustainable future. The opportunities are vast and growing day by day. By actively pursuing careers in the environmental sector, individuals can make a positive impact on our planet while enjoying fulfilling and rewarding professional lives.

Want to know more about how Smart ESS can help you find your next ‘green’ role, or if you’re a business looking for your next top talent, contact our experts today.