GREEN TECHNOLOGY CAREERS

March 9, 2016

One of this blog’s readers has asked me to consider posting her own contribution and I am happy to do so.

The author, Kathy Jackson, is a freelance career and career advancement writer. She also believes that green careers will help the environment.

I hope you enjoy reading it:

“Growth of Green Technology Careers

The growth of green technology careers is really taking off in the United States. According to The Energy Collective, around 40,000 green jobs were created in the United States in the second quarter of 2013 alone. Renewable resources projects are also generating their fair share of new jobs. Green jobs are beginning to grow faster than the overall U.S. economy, which is good news for both the U.S. economy and the environment. Through the creation of green jobs and careers, we are building a better, more sustainable future for the entire planet.

According to CleanTechnica.com, there were 3.1 million green jobs in the United States in November of 2011. That number will likely only increase as more industries look for ways to make things sustainable and environmentally friendly, and as consumers increasingly demand such options.

Green businesses weathered the recession far better than other businesses, and in fact, continued to create jobs even during the period when most other industries were scaling back on employment opportunities. There are green jobs available for people of every skill and education level, and they generally pay very well, because this is a growing, thriving industry that is in demand by the American people.

Some of the top careers in green technology today include:

1.Wind Turbine Engineers

Wind energy is getting increasingly popular as a form of renewable, clean energy. To collect the energy produced by wind, you’ve got to have wind turbines. If you’ve ever seen them, you’ve probably seen a lot of them together. Wind turbine farms have many turbines on them, which enables them to collect the most amount of energy possible. Governments and businesses use these. However, even individual homeowners can use wind energy with a turbine of their own. Engineers who have been taught how to build properly working wind turbines are increasingly in demand.

ind turbine engineers are also involved in creating new turbine designs that make them more productive and efficient. The industry is evolving all the time as the technology to harness wind energy increases. Starting salaries in wind turbine engineering are comparable to those of other engineering fields. However, with the continuing demand for more turbine engineers, the salary potential increases as the engineer gains more experience.

2. Environmental Engineers

Environmental engineers usually have a four-year degree or a Master’s degree in environmental engineering. Their main job, when hired in green industries, is to come up with solutions to environmental issues and concerns that present themselves within various projects. Examples include building on areas that include wetlands or the presence of endangered species. Engineers may have to build new, artificial wetlands or relocate endangered species into new, suitable locations, or even move the location of a building project to protect a particularly environmentally sensitive area.

They also deal with the environmental implications of sewage and solid waste disposal to ensure it has the most minimal impact on the environment as possible. Environmental engineers are in demand in all kinds of industries, as their skills are very much needed in any project that has an environmental concern associated with it.

3. Solar Installation Engineers

Solar installation engineers are the people who install solar panels on buildings that will be utilizing solar energy for their power source. With so many businesses and even homeowners converting to solar energy, this is a job that is in high demand. A person has to be specially trained and highly skilled to install a solar panel the right way. There are specific techniques that are used to make sure the panel is collecting, converting, and storing energy with maximum efficiency.

Conclusion

Green jobs are growing faster than almost any other sector of the American economy. There is no sign of the demand for clean energy and environmentally friendly engineering going down at all. In fact, it is going up as more people realize the need to start protecting the planet while it can still be saved. Green jobs provide the appropriate venue for those with the training and skills to make good money while making a real difference.”