May 13, 2008 08:19:30 AM
Green Collar Workers: Working for the Green to Earn the Green!
The US workforce is slowly turning green. Not because of the dollars, but because of a new sector that is slowly surfacing, the green collar workers.
Green collar jobs or workers do labor work that produce output directly involved in the conservation and enhancement of the environment. These jobs involve everything from the design, operation, maintenance, and manufacture of efficient technologies and renewable energy.
The popularity of this career profile is in tune with the increasing global awareness of environmental sustainability. This makes the green collar sector the fifth largest job market in the country, generating $1 trillion in revenue, as reported by the U.S. Labor and Statistics. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) also sees tremendous growth of this sector in terms of employment. From the 8.5 million green collar jobs in 2007, ASES is expecting that 1 out of 4 Americans will be joining the green workforce, resulting to 40 million jobs in 2030.
The career opportunities in this field are not limited to engineering or even environmental scientists. The inventory of careers in the green collar workforce has broadened, paving the way for more and more professionals to quit their nine-to-five jobs and join the labor force for Mother Earth. It now includes conservation movement workers, environmental consultants, architects, designers, organic farmers, environmental lawyers, ecology educators, and eco-technology workers.
Jeff Horowitz is one the great number of professionals migrating to green collar work. An architect in a private company in San Francisco, Horowitz turned to his advocacy of protecting rainforests that ultimately yielded the creation of the Avoided Deforestation Partners, one of the famous environmental nonprofit organizations in U.S.
The bourgeoning green industry continues to attract more professionals like Horowitz. Professionals who already possess the skills can continue their expertise in the “green context”. As other industries become more environmentally conscious, the green industry will grow further, and this means bigger earnings for green workers. Environmental scientists, for instance, have median annual earnings of $56,100, higher than other professional occupations.
But more often than not, the larger paycheck is just a bonus, since the satisfaction of making a positive difference in the world through environment conservation is more than enough of a reward.
Check out available online courses to help you earn the greens while working for the green!
Green collar jobs or workers do labor work that produce output directly involved in the conservation and enhancement of the environment. These jobs involve everything from the design, operation, maintenance, and manufacture of efficient technologies and renewable energy.
The popularity of this career profile is in tune with the increasing global awareness of environmental sustainability. This makes the green collar sector the fifth largest job market in the country, generating $1 trillion in revenue, as reported by the U.S. Labor and Statistics. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) also sees tremendous growth of this sector in terms of employment. From the 8.5 million green collar jobs in 2007, ASES is expecting that 1 out of 4 Americans will be joining the green workforce, resulting to 40 million jobs in 2030.
The career opportunities in this field are not limited to engineering or even environmental scientists. The inventory of careers in the green collar workforce has broadened, paving the way for more and more professionals to quit their nine-to-five jobs and join the labor force for Mother Earth. It now includes conservation movement workers, environmental consultants, architects, designers, organic farmers, environmental lawyers, ecology educators, and eco-technology workers.
Jeff Horowitz is one the great number of professionals migrating to green collar work. An architect in a private company in San Francisco, Horowitz turned to his advocacy of protecting rainforests that ultimately yielded the creation of the Avoided Deforestation Partners, one of the famous environmental nonprofit organizations in U.S.
The bourgeoning green industry continues to attract more professionals like Horowitz. Professionals who already possess the skills can continue their expertise in the “green context”. As other industries become more environmentally conscious, the green industry will grow further, and this means bigger earnings for green workers. Environmental scientists, for instance, have median annual earnings of $56,100, higher than other professional occupations.
But more often than not, the larger paycheck is just a bonus, since the satisfaction of making a positive difference in the world through environment conservation is more than enough of a reward.
Check out available online courses to help you earn the greens while working for the green!
