Green Festival , the University of Reading’s annual sustainability celebration, is back on 19 – 21st November! Designed to shine a light on environmental topics and promote sustainable actions within the university, Careers will be running the Green and Sustainable Careers panel on 20th November as part of the festival. You might be wondering though, what is a green career?
What are green and sustainable jobs?
Green jobs and careers directly contribute to tackling climate change, although many think it should also cover roles that indirectly support that ambition. While there are jobs that work directly in the green economy such as wildlife conservation and renewable energy, other sectors including manufacturing and fashion are making commitments to protect the planet and reduce their environmental impact. Here, green jobs may have a focus on sustainability within the workplace, aiming to reduce a company’s carbon footprint, improving the efficiency of scarce resources, or implementing more sustainable methods in their supply chains.
Green jobs are among the fastest growing and the most resilient in the European economy. Solar power, for example, is set to become Europe’s main source of energy before the end of the decade and could lead to the creation of 4 million jobs across Europe by 2050, according to the World Economic Forum. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has also announced new funding and incentives for renewable energy projects and green technologies, particularly in relation to the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and electric vehicles, creating exciting new jobs in the green economy over the coming years.
So where do I start learning more?
Research shows that most people, especially young, are concerned with environmental issues and want to work towards sustainable goals, but don’t know where to start. Why not start now by signing up for our Green and Sustainable Careers event, on Wednesday 20 November from 1-2pm? We will be joined by a panel of external speakers coming on campus who will talk about the work they do, the opportunities that exist and how they got into their green jobs.
Don’t forget that we also provide the opportunity for you to gain a qualification which demonstrates your commitment to sustainability; you can also sign up for the RED Sustainable Action Award. Once completed, this award will appear on your degree transcript.
We hope you take full advantage of these opportunities and if you want to discuss your individual career aspirations whether in the green economy or elsewhere, please arrange a meeting with one of our Careers Consultants via MyJobsOnline.
Author: Nicky Normington, Head of Career Consultancy