Green Careers

Are you concerned about the environment? Do you want to help stem global warming and rainforest decimation? If so, a green career may be for you. Community colleges around the country are offering programs in sustainable energy, from solar panels to wind turbines. From biodiesel to energy storage, explore your green career options here.

View the most popular articles in Green Careers:

Careers: Smart Grid Tecnology

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Careers: Smart Grid Tecnology
The "smart grid" presents a myriad of opportunities for green collar jobs. Learn about the job prospects in the industry and how your local community college can provide you with the training to capitalize on this growing industry.

Our nation’s energy delivery system is undergoing a significant transformation, and soon, the “smart grid” will replace the electric system of yesteryear.

The grid is deemed “smart” because it can route power according to specific needs and conditions, which is a sharp contrast to today’s grid, which merely “broadcasts” power from central generators. The smart grid is more reliable, transparent, cost-effective, and energy-effective than the current infrastructure, and the system is how America plans to manage its future energy independence, emergency resilience, and ability to generate clean power.

This video explains smart grid technology.

Under the Obama Administration, along with the Federal Smart Grid Task Force established through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the smart grid will soon become a reality. Areas around the country, such as Southern California and Cincinnati, have already begun installing smart meters to create a national system.

The Smart Grid: Smart Career Choices

The Department of Energy’s Grid 2030 Vision plans to modernize and revolutionize the electric system within ten years. The changes will impact every mile of the electricity system, reaching every consumer and business. Clearly, a change of this magnitude will cost billions of dollars and create “green collar” job opportunities for many individuals.

In fact, according to KEMA, the leading authority in energy consulting, in the next four years alone, the $16 billion earmarked for intelligent grid funding

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Careers: Sustainable Energy Technician

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Careers: Sustainable Energy Technician
With the change in energy production trends, sustainable energy technology careers are in high demand, and you can start your training for a highly-demanded career right at your local community college.

In today’s difficult job market, community college students looking to position themselves for career security and success have an exciting new set of options to consider: programs leading to associate’s degrees or certificates in sustainable energy technologies.

A Growing Industry

Just a few years ago, sustainable energy was more of a dream than a reality. Today, sustainable energy is emerging as an industry in its own right – one that demands trained, competent workers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (President Obama’s economic stimulus package) provides money for “solar farms, wind turbines, electrical grid updates, mass transit, and the weatherizing and retrofitting of buildings,” according to Business Week. By the estimates of some environmental groups, this spending is expected to produce 1 million to 1.5 million new jobs.

Reporting on the then-emerging trend in 2008, the New York Times articulated that national starting salaries for sustainable energy workers range from $35,000 to $45,000 for graduates of two-year degree programs.

Fortunately for college students who are attracted to the growth potential and solid starting salaries in this industry, community colleges are beginning to offer more programs in two-year degrees or certificates for prospective sustainable energy industry workers.

This video reports on Renewable Energy Program at Hutchison Community College.

Sustainable Energy Degree and Certificate Programs

Across the country, community colleges are offering niche programs that can jumpstart your career in

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Careers: Wind Energy Technology

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Careers: Wind Energy Technology
If you are looking for a recession-proof career with excellent job prospects, consider enrolling in a wind energy program at your local community college.

If you are considering a future career or a professional change, let the winds of change take you into a new industry. For community college students, the American wind energy industry is growing rapidly. Consider the following indicators:

  • The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports that by the end of 2008, approximately 80,000 people in the United States were employed in the wind industry, up from 50,000 at the end of 2007.
  • Wind turbine installations in 2008 were up 50% from the previous year, according to the AWEA report.
  • By the end of 2008, the United States had pulled ahead of Germany to lead the world in terms of wind energy production and cumulative wind power generating capacity.
  • The 2009 federal stimulus is providing federal funding to colleges and universities in various states to support the development of wind turbine technology.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy has developed a Wind and Hydropower Technologies Committee, which is working to realize a goal of having 20% of the energy in the United States produced by wind by the year 2030.

The explosion of the wind energy industry comes at the perfect time for Americans who are out of work and looking to enroll in a community college program that can train them for a new career.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wind turbine technicians “build or service individual turbines, help with the construction of entire wind farms, or work indoors at

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Careers: Environmental Science & Sustainability

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Careers: Environmental Science & Sustainability
Discover how community colleges are playing a vital role in preparing students for a sustainable future through specialized programs, hands-on experiences, and comprehensive coursework. Learn about the diverse range of careers in environmental sustainability, from renewable energy and green technology to conservation and resource management. Whether you're a recent high school graduate, a career changer, or someone looking to make a positive impact on the planet, community colleges provide the perfect pathway to embark on a fulfilling career in environmental sustainability.

As the government is now offering tax cuts and financial incentives for companies and individuals to “go green,” community college students are finding incredibly vast opportunities in the fields of environmental safety and studies.

The economy is predicting a new rise in “green collar workers,” and subsequently, more students are preparing for jobs in the field of renewing resources, eliminating corporate and facility emissions, and other “green” career avenues. If you want to enter a greener career path, consider starting at your local community college.

This video offers an overview of careers in sustainability.

Green Energy Careers

As the Los Angeles Times reports, the new studies in climate change and global warming are inspiring a whole new range of careers and collegiate studies; “Concern about climate change is galvanizing more undergraduate students to turn toward a subject involving science and engineering.”

In fact, many college students feel confident that an environmental educational pathway will lead to an array of job opportunities upon graduation. As President Obama is proposing a multibillion-dollar push to stimulate clean energy standards, the President is striving to improve the environment while also hoping to create millions of new “green collar” jobs.

Presenting that college engineering programs have dropped over 5 percent from 2003 to 2005, Obama argues that new environmental studies and engineering careers will be the key to boosting the country’s economic recovery. To help students pursue this

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