Here's why you should consider applying for green jobs now
Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. So, if you want to work in a green job with a clear purpose to take climate action, now is the time to make the move.
The data show the environmental job market is booming. For instance, there were over 90% more UK listings for environmental jobs in 2021 compared to five years ago.
The UK is now going through an energy revolution to help power us into carbon neutrality. We’ve pledged to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. And the current government is aiming to create 2,000,000 green jobs in the UK by 2030 as part of its Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. As a result, we’ll see a huge boost in the green economy.
New green energy projects are being launched, creating thousands of new jobs. And new skills will be needed to drive them for a sustainable future.
The most obvious green jobs are in areas like renewables, energy efficiency, electric transport or nature conservation. Highlighting how massive these sectors are becoming, IRENA reported that renewable energy jobs increased to 12 million globally in 2021. In addition, there are also less conventional environmental roles currently expanding or developing and just over the horizon. Think urban farming, green home construction and home energy refit, sustainability consulting, and automotive decarbonisation.
Growing sectors include wind turbine maintenance, low-carbon farming and heating without emissions. And research by LinkedIn shows that booming job posts for green roles include:
- Environmental consultant
- Sustainability manager
- Health safety environment engineer
- Solar consultant
- Energy consultant
Green jobs in other sectors
If you want a job that helps conserve the planet you might assume you need to work in one of the areas, above. But green jobs now span multiple industries. More sectors are moving towards being more environmentally friendly and transitioning to low-carbon models. This means many more roles could become green.
In fact, when LinkedIn analysed job postings asking for green skills, it found something interesting. These opportunities are increasingly being found in sectors that aren’t traditionally seen as green. The fastest growth in job postings asking for green skills in 2020 was for:
- Business consultant
- Programme manager
- Compliance manager
- Sales manager
- Customer service manager
That means if you want a career helping the planet you can choose to work directly in the environmental sector. Or, you can work for an employer in any sector that is looking to be more sustainable. For most of these roles, the transferable skills you’ve gained from jobs in other areas will be highly valuable.
Skills for a sustainable future
If you’re not sure which direction to go in, check out this environmental career finder. It uses data from 44 environment-related roles. It examines factors like number of vacancies, average salary, and entry requirements so you can filter your search by what’s important to you. You can also check out the RHL jobs listings pages for many green options.
So whether you’re starting out in your career or would like to reskill for a more sustainable role, one of these emerging jobs in the green economy could be your next step.