Jobs In The Green Arena

Last month the Office for National Statistics released data showing that there are 2.6 million unemployed people in the UK, with only 450,000 jobs advertised, meaning that there are 6 jobseekers for every vacancy. Despite these gloomy statistics it is encouraging to note that the whole of the 'green sector' is on the rise and according to the Renewable Energy Association, the renewable energy sector increased by 11% between 2009/10 and 2010/11, whereas the overall growth of the UK was just 1.4 %.

Hopefully this is a sign for improvement for our stagnating economy as well as our impact on the environment. The environmental and ethical market is also a field where people are more likely to feel satisfied with their work and be better paid, with the worldwide salaries of 'green collar workers' increasing by 4% in 2010 as stated by a report from Acre Resources.

The green sector is not only going through a period of growth now but is likely to continue as the Government is committed to reaching its carbon targets set in 1990 of reducing the UK’s carbon usage by 80% by the year 2050. It is also an area where consumers are increasingly interested, so even if businesses are not involved directly in the green industry, it is an area where a company can improve its operations. There are a few steps that any company can make to be more sustainable, including measuring carbon emissions, setting targets, working to reduce emissions or recycling.

There are ways to change your current career with opportunities to transfer your skills into the green arena. With experienced marketers for example the transfer to a greener job is relatively obvious whereas some roles will need prior engineering knowledge. It is possible if you are in a larger organisation to spot a need for a greener way of doing business and put this forward to your employer without having to move to another company.

With UK businesses becoming more aware of environmental issues and with the green economy growing, there are more opportunities than ever for those who want to switch to a more sustainable career.

For a sustainable career at Zero Above see our careers page.