Fitting into a Green Collar Job

President-elect Barack Obama intends to remedy the economic woes of the United States with the creation of three million jobs during his first term. In December 2008, he reaffirmed the commitment of his incoming administration to specifically targeting those new positions at one field currently experiencing unparalleled growth: green technology.

“[We will]…support high-growth industries by training the workers that they need. This includes promoting green-collar jobs,” said Obama’s Secretary of Labor Nominee, Hilda L. Solis. “These are jobs that will provide economic security for all working families while securing our energy supply and combating climate change.”

Solis couldn’t be any more right betting on growth in green sector, even as the economy spirals towards record setting lows. At a time when other industries are weakening, downsizing, and losing money, nearly every sector of the green energy market is experiencing growth. Green industry – and the requisite “green-collar” jobs that come along with it – is on the rise as businesses and governments face an increasing pressure to protect the environment, reduce energy costs and ease global warming.

That being said, business is going green not to just save the environment, but because it makes sense. With the aid of cutting edge technology, corporations are cutting their energy bill by 40% and saving millions. Green buildings are now more cost effective now than energy-guzzling counterparts and green cars make financial sense no matter what price oil is. Furthermore, green employees are a huge asset to their companies.

IBM’s most recent marketing campaign indicative of the corporate attitudes towards cutting energy and going green. It opens on a scene shot entirely in black and white, evoking the public perception of “the big faceless corporation.” A CEO-type leans across his desk and says, “Why should I go green?” Cue the voiceover: “Because it will save you 40% of 18 million dollars.” Suddenly the world blossoms into color and it’s that Technicolor explosion that is representative of the corporate attitude today. From small local firms to Fortune 500s, businesses are queuing up for their chance to snag individuals who can accommodate the dramatic shift in the market place. For the eco-minded, there’s never been a better chance to get a foot in the door and, contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t require a PhD in ecology to make it happen.

Whether you are a college student, a recent addition to the job market or a seasoned workforce veteran, chances are that somewhere in your chosen field there are openings for someone with a little green savvy and the proclivity to learn the ins-and-outs of this ever-growing field. Architects, lawyers, construction managers, consultants, journalists, engineers, scientific researchers and educators are but a few of those that have received the call to go green from on high. Even the entertainment industry plans to expand into the green arena as corporations like NBC Universal and Discovery Communications have publicly announced their intent to downsize their carbon output, while at the same time creating new media to cater to a green-centric niche.

With so many opportunities in green sector, Kevin Doyle, President of Green Economy, a Massachusetts-based workforce-consulting firm, says, first and foremost, one should choose their area of specification. Says Doyle: “Do you want to be up on a roof, retrofitting a house, setting policy or perhaps making a ton of money as a venture capitalist?”
It’s an important distinction. Wind farming, carbon trading, wastewater treatment, green building and bio-energy technologies all fall under the green umbrella, but there are several types of green certification one can achieve to order to market one’s self and skill set on a personal, rather than industrial, level. Green certification leads to green jobs, and the time is ripe to secure both.

As of this writing, there are but a handful of LEED-accredited professionals throughout the United States. Nearly every construction project going to ground in the coming year is seeking a LEED-certification – the industry standard for officially labeling a building or development as green –and trained professionals are need to facilitate the inspection process. Several other types of training are available in the “green auditing” sector, including inspecting energy efficient retrofits of existing homes (RESNET’s HERS certification) or businesses (green business certification). Fortunately, there’s a source for finding information on this diverse array of opportunities in one place.

Greenjobstoday.com is just one of the emerging businesses that have created an education and training platform to help people learn how to take their applicable skills and transfer them into the green arena. Greenjobtoday.com takes all of the guesswork out the green sector by bringing together green employers, seasoned professionals and the industry’s up-and-comers, so that never again will you find yourself asking, “What is a green job and how do I get one?” The answer is quite literally at your fingertips.

“We are going to aggregate the best of the best content with partnerships with the leaders of the green industry,” says Greenjobtoday.com’s CEO Chris Marentis, formerly a Senior Vice President of AOL-Time Warner. “We are building a proprietary publishing and marketing platform that will become the leader in the green space. Key here is content and web services to support the business turn-key solution to getting a green job and educating people on how to make money while saving the environment.”
The company’s newest release, Green Job Guide 2009: Secrets to Finding and Getting the Job You Want, is the ideal tool for empowering newcomers to the green marketplace . “With unemployment at record levels there has never been a better time to switch into a green collar job. Our book lays out a step-by-step process to help people get the proper education and training they need, so they can get the green job they want,” says the book’s co-author, Elliott Mizroch.
As the inside track for green job information, strategy and helpful tips, Greenjobtoday.com lets the layman get in on the ground floor of the biggest growth industry of the 21st century. As the federal government repositions the employment sector to go eco-friendly on all fronts, green collar jobs will cease to be the question mark looming over the head of Joe Q. Public. In just a short time, they’ll be the industry standard – and Greenjobtoday.com will be right there beside them.