Green Jobs Guide

Recent Updates

Jan17

Why Renewable Energy is the Best Option

There has been a lot of discussion about climate change, sustainability, green jobs, and renewable energy in recent years. In some circles, the terms have become synonymous. They are certainly related, but many people do not know why they are important. They believe sustainability is a buzz word and renewable energy is a fad.Why are environmental scientists promoting renewable energies, such as wind, solar, and geothermal? Why do policy makers keep saying that green jobs are on their way?

Traditional energy sources and fuels contain carbon. When these fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. There is a high correlation between carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. This mixture of pollution also leads to global warming. This climate change radical affects our daily lives, most notably the extreme weather conditions we’ve seen in recent years.

Environmental scientists suggest using renewable energies like solar and wind because they do not release carbon dioxide into the environment. They are renewable and clean, as they say. Until a few years ago, there weren’t many “green jobs” relating to solar and wind because individuals relied so heavily on traditional fuels. If we start to rely on renewable energy, green jobs will be created.

From training people on new skills to cultivating the renewable energy itself, there are a number of green jobs to be had. It also depends on one’s definition of a green job. We need qualified workers to utilize the skills they’ve attained in their careers to lead this green jobs revolution. That means learning about renewable energy, acquiring necessary skills to use renewable energy, being confident and knowledgeable enough to explain renewable energy to others, and ultimately using the technology.

Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are often called clean energy sources because they do not have a negative effect on our environment. Those who care about the future of our planet care about renewable energy.

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Energy Efficiency, Renewable energy, The Environment

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Jan12

Why Veterans Need Green Jobs

You may have heard that a common transition from military life to civilian life is the acquisition of a green job. There are numerous training programs and organizations devoted to placing war veterans into renewable energy jobs. Unemployment among former service members is outpacing that of civilians. What is it about green jobs that attracts these military veterans?

Green sector jobs like manufacturing or maintenance of wind turbines or solar arrays require skills similar to those that service members learn in the military. Veterans generally get technical training that is lacking in the civilian workforce, and they spend a great number of years and hours performing this kind of work. In addition, veterans are known for their hard work, loyalty, teamwork, and precision. These are all valuable qualities to any employer.

Part of the reason why unemployment among veterans is so high is that there is a lack of understanding among both veterans and potential employers. Some employers have a hard time translating a veteran’s job title in the service and understanding how that work relates to a civilian job. Similarly, some veterans have difficulty communicating the value in the technical skills they acquired during their service. It’s a perfect match, but neither side really knows it.

That’s why organizations like Tipping Point Renewable Energy, Veterans Green Jobs, Everblue Training Institute, and Troops to Energy Jobs exist. These organizations aim to train veterans and prepare them for the civilian workforce. There’s no reason why so many skilled and honorable individuals should be unemployed.

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Jan09

Reinventing Detroit with Sustainability

If you’re a sustainability professional living in Detroit, Michigan, 2012 might be your year! Environmentalists have predicted that Detroit is one of the up-and-coming cities in 2012 for sustainability. Interestingly, the predictions have not come about as a result of existing sustainability projects or goals in Detroit, but rather as a result of resourcefulness and innovative thinking.

The city is close to a takeover by an emergency financial manager. Detroit’s contraction means the city’s citizens will soon be in the middle of redefining the urban and rural environment. Environmentalists predict urban farming, social enterprise, and the creative arts to thrive.

They cite the area’s leading universities, low cost of living, ignored buildings. and local biodiversity as reasons why sustainability professionals can re-invigorate the Motor City. All it takes is a knowledgeable and passionate group of people to lead a sustainability movement.

Detroit was only one of two cities in North America (out of a list of 10 total) to be recognized as a sustainable city to watch. The other was San Jose, California.

When thinking about sustainable cities, we often think of Portland and San Francisco, so it’s nice to see professionals in the industry providing encouragement to other locations. Given the reasons listed, perhaps we will see a dramatic turnaround in Detroit. It may be too soon to declare 2012 the year of change, but let’s all hope that this year creates a new wave of passion and excitement. It’s about time we see some excitement in the area! Sustainability might be the change Detroit needs!

Learn more about green jobs and sustainability opportunities in the Detroit area. You can become a leader in your region and in the sustainability industry!

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec20

Merging Politics and Green Jobs

As you read in one of our previous posts, the place to look for green jobs is in southern states like Tennessee. Ironically, these southern states are typically the red states where voters are suspicious of renewable energy. The question becomes, will politicians keep investing in green jobs creation if many Southern voters don’t believe in it?

A politician has his beliefs. And then he has those beliefs that he doesn’t necessarily want to announce to potential voters, for fear of losing votes. How will politicians handle the growing green jobs industry in the states where their constituents are uninterested? On some level, in their heart of hearts, politicians should support the green companies that have provided jobs in their states and try to help grow that sector of the economy, for their sake. On the other hand, politicians have a personal interest in pleasing the voters who will make or break the politician’s career.

Many voters in Southern states are against federal stimulus programs, deeply suspicious of renewable energy, and downright angry about the use of taxpayer dollars to create green jobs. With the federal government making so many promises toward green jobs, will local and state politicians continue with momentum or succumb to their constituents’ preferences?

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec15

MBAs Support Green Jobs

A recent study by Sky indicated that 96 percent of business leaders plan to incorporate sustainability into their careers. Sky’s survey asked 751 individuals with masters degrees in Business Administration about their opinions toward sustainability and green jobs. The respondents demonstrated an overall support toward these concepts and referred to themselves as the first “sustainable generation” based on their engagement with social responsibility in their own lives and in the media.

Almost 80 percent of respondents believe that the vision of a company is an important factor when choosing between potential employers. This goes to show that the organizations with green jobs available are the organizations that have made an effort to be sustainable, even when those efforts have come at the expense of profit. These values are important to employees, and employees want to align their values with the companies they work for.

Only 3 percent think that companies are integrating sustainability strategies successfully, and about ⅔ of respondents said that they have not received sufficient sustainability training from their business schools or employers. It’s interesting that these future business leaders can acknowledge that they have not received enough sustainability education but can also point out that businesses are not being successful in their sustainability strategies.

It seems there is room for education on both sides. With this feedback, business schools should integrate more sustainable concepts into their curriculum, as it will certainly affect MBA graduates in their future careers. Similarly, employees (who may or may not have MBAs) should also be trained on sustainability at their job. If an organization is going to implement a sustainability strategy, it should have an individual behind the scenes who is knowledgeable and confident about corporate sustainability and who can ensure success.

One can infer from Sky’s survey that green jobs will exist whether companies want them to or not. A third of those surveyed think that creating social and environmental value through business is an important career goal. The interest in sustainability is there; business schools need to meet the demand in their curriculum, and companies need to provide the resources (sustainability training and green jobs) that will satisfy their employees and future business leaders.

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec12

Where to Look for Green Jobs

Evidently, most of the green jobs in our country are in the South. There are 21 states with at least 40,000 clean economy jobs, and seven of those states are in the South. One of the best places to look for a green job seems to be in the state of Tennessee.

Michigan-based Hemlock Semiconductor recently broke ground on a 500-acre, $1.2 billion plant in Clarksville, TN, just north of Nashville, to produce polycrystalline silicon. This material, also called polysilicon, is the base material used for solar panels. Almost 3,500 workers are currently working on the site. Clarksville is also the home of Fort Campbell, a military base for the 101st Airborne Army division. Recent news has shown that the government will be helping military veterans attain work in the green jobs sector. This would be the perfect place for veterans of the Army’s Fort Campbell to learn about solar and integrate their skills into this trending green workforce.

Just south of Nashville, in Smyrna, Nissan developed its all-electric LEAF hatchback with a $1.4 billion investment in a new lithium-ion battery plant. Nissan predicts that the battery plant and retrofitted assembly plant will add up to 1,300 new jobs when operating at maximum capacity. All totaled, 10,000 green jobs will be created in Tennessee between now and 2014, according to a recent report by the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Supporters of Tennessee’s renewable energy economy believe that the presence of Hemlock, as well as companies like Sharp, Shoals Electronics and AGC Flatglass, will attract other solar companies to Tennessee, much as Nissan’s decision to open its first assembly plant in Smyrna in the early 1980s led to the growth of a local auto supplier chain.

If you’re interested in getting a job in solar, or a similar green industry, you might consider looking for green jobs in Tennessee!

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs, The Solar Industry

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec08

Green Jobs Training for Your Resume

You want to enter the green workforce, but you’re worried that you don’t have the industry certifications to set you apart from your competitors. Have you taken the steps toward an industry certification – that is, have you undergone training in the sustainable or green building field? Go ahead and put that information on your resume, even if you have not attained the certification yet.Sometimes it is better to list on your resume the training you’ve participated in, rather than to omit it. You might not have achieved the certification, but showing that you have the passion, education, and experience with the subject matter can only help.

If you are brought in for an interview, you may be asked why you have not achieved the certification yet. That’s okay. The reality is, many employers post unrealistic job descriptions when it comes to green jobs. They want the most experienced person they can find so they can create the greatest amount of change within their organization. What they may not realize is that their applicant with “15 years of experience in sustainability” hardly exists! Sustainability has only become a hot topic in the last few years, so there won’t be too many professionals meeting those requirements. Don’t be daunted by job positions that post such requirements. What your potential employer will want to know is, in general, what experience do you have in the renewable energy field?

This is when you’ll say that you participated in a comprehensive LEED, BPI, RESNET, or Solar training course. You’ll explain that the classroom portion of the training taught you the fundamentals concepts necessary for understanding your impact on the environment. The hands-on training let you become familiar with the tools and real-world work that this job position would require. You’ll explain whatever factors played a role in you not achieving the certification, be it money or time. In many cases, if a company wants a specific job position to be certified under a particular industry organization, the company will pay for its employees to get the training and the certification. What you think is holding you back in your search for a green job might not actually be a problem!

Learn more about sustainability and green jobs training, and don’t be afraid to include relevant experiences like this on your resume. It may end up getting you a phone call, over someone who has absolutely no experience in the industry.

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec05

The “Art” of Getting a Green Job

In a depressed economy, individuals stress over their position in the workforce. Jobs are hard to come by and hard to keep. President Obama keeps trying to introduce “green jobs” as a promising alternative to these individuals. What he must realize is that the term “green jobs” brings about many questions, unknowns, and misconceptions. What is a green job? What makes it a green job? Am I qualified? Will I enjoy this job? How does it pay? The reality is, it is much easier to land a “green job” than these individuals may think. The best advice is to get the best job you can (it may not be the stereotypical “green job” you’ve heard about in the news), work at this job, and then – most importantly – add value to the job by making it green.There’s certainly a need for skilled and qualified workers to fulfill the stereotypical green jobs out there – wind turbine mechanic, home energy auditor, insulation installer, etc. Perhaps what is more valuable to our workforce, environment, and planet is to modify existing jobs to make them more sustainable and efficient. This is the piece that most people forget.There are a number of statistics flying around about how many green jobs have actually been created since Obama took office. I’ve always wondered how these articles could vary so much. I’ve determined that the number of green jobs vary because no one has a clear definition of what a green job is. Some organizations may define green jobs as the stereotypical ones, while others may consider green jobs as we are discussing them here.

Many people in this country are discouraged that they can’t find a green job, or that they’re not qualified, or that they really haven’t entered the green workforce because they don’t hold the stereotypical job title. This kind of mindset will get you, and the economy, nowhere.

Obtaining a green job is just like obtaining any job. Sure, you have to be qualified to some extent. You have to put your best foot forward and stand out from your competitors. It is just as important to keep a positive attitude and to build upon your passion for sustainability by modifying your existing job into a more efficient role. By doing the latter, you’ll see change in the workforce, and you’ll see how your activities are directing affecting your company in a positive way. Perhaps your boss will notice your sustainable efforts and ask you to help others navigate the green workforce!

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Dec01

When to Apply for a Green Job

7:14 AM. Just kidding! The best time to apply for a green job is immediately following your green jobs training program. If you are unemployed or looking to switch industries, you have probably enrolled in a green jobs training program to help you acquire the necessary skills. Some examples of these programs include BPI Building Analyst training, LEED exam prep, RESNET HERS Rater training, or Solar PV training (depending on which avenue of sustainability you want to explore). These courses often range between two and six days. While this training is incredibly valuable to your professional development and growth, unfortunately that little amount of time is not going to make you an expert in the industry.Would you graduate from college with an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree if you were only in class for six days? No. Many people think they are going to take a class and magically become an expert after a few days in a classroom environment. Unfortunately, this is not the case.In a green jobs training program, you will participate in intense classroom discussion with other individuals who may already be established in the industry (remember to network!). You will learn from a certified individual who also has experience in the industry. You will be introduced to standards that have been created by various industry organizations, and you will understand why these standards are important and how they can be applied to create a more sustainable environment.In some programs, you will participate in hands-on field work. You will perform a comprehensive energy audit inspection at a real home. You will assemble solar panels on a solar array. You will work with the solar and energy auditing tools that professionals use on the job.

This is all great exposure and experience. You will complete your green jobs training program with a completely new perspective on sustainability, and you’ll be equipped with a whole new set of tools (mentally and physically speaking) that will prepare you to enter the green workforce.

Now, your future is in your hands. You need to apply for the sustainability jobs that you are interested in directly following these green jobs training programs, before you lose all the knowledge you had gained. This is the best time to apply for a green job because all the information is still fresh in your mind. You’re as good as an industry professional who has had years of experience.

Side note: submitting your resume at 7:14 AM probably isn’t a bad idea. It’ll show that you’re motivated and excited to get a job!

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Nov28

2011 Green Jobs Honorees Announced

The SJF Institute recently announced its winners in the 2011 Green Jobs Awards. The SJF Institute is a non-profit organization that connects, inspires, and supports entrepreneurs. This year’s winners for the 2011 Green Jobs Awards were announced in New York on November 10, honoring companies from across the country. In total, these winners have employed more than 2,500 individuals in green job positions.

The 2011 Green Jobs Award honorees are as follows: Better World Books, Pacific Biodiesel, Power Partners, Inc., Sacred Power Corporation, SolarCity, Sungevity, and The Taylor Companies. These firms represent diverse industries – from traditional industry innovators, to renewable energy and energy efficiency, to consumer products.

The Green Jobs Award program celebrates businesses that are making valuable contributions to both the economy and the environment. Private companies based in the U.S. with at least $500,000 in revenue and 10 employees and with a business model that preserves or enhances environmental quality are eligible. Applicants are judged on their environmental contribution, quality of their jobs and benefits, the diversity of employment opportunities, and their level of community engagement.

One of the honorees, Pacific Biodiesel, added ten staff positions in the last year and created 85 construction jobs with its new project, Big Island Biodiesel. With a capacity of over 16,000 gallons per day and more than 5 million gallons per year, the Big Island Biodiesel production facility will utilize recently developed zero-waste, super efficient processing technology and will play a significant role in helping Hawaii reach its energy independence and sustainability goals.

It helps to have individuals on staff who have undergone green jobs training. These are the people who will lead a company’s efforts in becoming more sustainable and, in the end, increasing the company’s chances of winning such honors. Similarly, in response to the green jobs being created, there must be a skilled workforce available who will meet the requirements of the position. Click here for more information on green jobs training.

Winners will receive recognition, media exposure, executive mentorship opportunities, as well as a package of pro bono business services provided by Certified B Corporations.

Posted by EverblueGreenJobsGuide in Green Collar Jobs

0 Comments

Keep Reading →

Recent Updates

Connect with us