Research finds 71 percent of employees and job seekers want to work for environmentally sustainable companies. What’s more, in this study, over two-thirds of respondents said they were more likely to apply for and accept jobs with socially and environmentally responsible organisations.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that the green skills gap continues to widen, and the number of sustainability business courses is growing at a rapid rate. Interest is certainly steering towards positions where people feel they can make a difference to the world around them. Below, we explore how you can transform your sustainability interest into a thriving career.
How to land a sustainability job
There are many different ways to get started on your dream path to a career in sustainability. Read on for some tips that will help you enter an exciting and fulfilling sustainability career.
Determine what area of sustainability you want to work in
Sustainability is a big umbrella term that encompasses many different ideas and concepts. Additionally, more and more businesses are prioritising action on climate-related issues, which means the number of sustainability jobs available today has accelerated. Before you jump into the next steps, it’s a good idea to determine what area of sustainability you want to work in.
This is concerning the role itself, but also what areas you get excited about. For example, are you passionate about pushing renewable energy solutions, or maybe you want to play a key role in demystifying challenging sustainability concepts through education? Either way, determining this will help you greatly in achieving your dream career in sustainability.
Research and familiarise yourself with the sustainability sector
It is also a good idea to spend some time researching the sustainability sector and familiarising yourself with key concepts and current legislation. Sustainability is a vast topic that desperately needs to be demystified, and there is a lot of jargon associated. With this in mind, if you want to enter this industry, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the current landscape.
You can do this by reading journal and news articles and following key voices on social media platforms. If you know anyone working in the sector, consider reaching out to them for some insight about their experience working in the industry and for any advice.
Earn a qualification in sustainability
The most effective way to land a sustainability career is to earn a qualification in the subject or a related field. Many degree and certificate programmes will allow you to acquire the knowledge needed to work in the area of environmental sustainability.
Identify the best sustainability courses to help you get where you want to be. Don’t let the learning journey stop here either; continue to source potential sustainability training courses to further take your knowledge to the next level.
Get work experience
Acquiring the necessary skills through work experience is also important if you hope to start a career in sustainability. If you already have a job, check if your workplace has sustainability practices in place and if not, suggest using your knowledge from your course to help them take climate action.
Look for opportunities to design a sustainability project of your own and action it. For example, you could help the office go paperless or organise a volunteer day to support vital causes.
Network and make connections
Like any industry, if you want to work in sustainability, you need to make connections. The easiest way to do this is by networking whether that be online or in-person events.
Each year, we see a cluster of sustainability and business-focused conferences and expos where people meet to share ideas, and passions and explore potential collaborations.
You can also network with people on platforms like LinkedIn by interacting with people’s posts or simply messaging them to express your admiration for what they do and for them to tell you more.
Sign up to green job boards
Another thing you should consider doing is signing up to green job boards and setting up LinkedIn job alerts for your chosen roles. This will enable you to easily monitor potential opportunities and get one step further towards the position of your dreams.
The rise of sustainability careers is set to continue
According to LinkedIn data in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, hiring for green roles has consistently outpaced the overall hiring rate worldwide for four years consecutively. The growth in green job postings on LinkedIn is also outpacing the available talent.
For sustainable business models to become the norm, every business will require sustainability talent to drive and support change. The growth of sustainability careers is showing no signs of slowing down. This means all those hungry for careers in sustainability will be able to seamlessly combine passion and profession.
