College Students Flood Green Jobs Training

College students all over America are betting on the idea that the green job market holds promise even in this bleak economy, gravitating to green jobs training programs. They’re learning about alternative fuels, renewable energy and how to green their current field of work in the hopes of snagging one of the millions of green jobs that experts have predicted will become available over the next few years.

From ABC News:

Earlier this week in California, a “Dream Green Job” fair attracted hundreds of San Francisco Bay Area job-seekers to an event at the Commonwealth Club.

“I’m looking for something that really aligns with who I am and what I want to be doing in the world,” said Jessica Zdeb, who’s searching for a green job.

In addition to representatives from job networking Web sites and green industries like solar power, there were colleges and universities spreading the word about their course offerings, training and degree programs promising to prepare adult students for a greener future.

“I’m pretty excited about prospects here,” said Struan Vaz. “I want to understand what’s out there, what are people doing? What are the movers and shakers talking about? With that you can make a good decision.”

The news isn’t all rosy – GreenJobs.com CEO Peter Beadle says green job listings on his popular site have declined over the last few months even as applicant numbers have soared. Beadle believes the government has to tackle the credit crisis before green jobs can really take off. Still, green jobs aren’t out of reach.

“It’s not an economy where you can be a passive jobseeker,” said Caroline McCelland of Green Career Central. “You must be innovative; you must be willing and ready to do the work of doing the research and getting involved and getting engaged.”

And career counselors in the green arena say it’s important to focus and spend time educating yourself about the big world of renewable and sustainable energy.

“Whether it’s solar or wind or hydro, recognize that they are different,” Beadle says. “You have to become an expert in one of them.”

The key here is definitely being proactive. Don’t wait for a green job to fall into your lap – go out and fight for it. Check out our guide, ‘Green Jobs 101: How to Snag Eco-Employment’ for tips and information about finding the green job of your dreams.

Link [ABC News]
Photo credit: Green Jobs Now

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