Green Jobs: Changing Business as Usual

It’s no coincidence that among the most popular subjects driving hits to our CCSE website is green jobs. The green career marketplace is topic number one in employment nationwide, and in San Diego, people are searching to learn what a green job is and where to get one.

I spoke at a green jobs symposium recently that is reported on later in this newsletter. One thing that struck me was that a “green thread” seems to weave through most every job. This may not be so obvious today, but will be in the future as industries and businesses comply with government regulations to adopt alternative energy, achieve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If your job isn’t green now, there is a good chance you can work green job skills into it, and in doing so, make yourself even more employable.

Here at CCSE, we employ 45 staff members in green jobs, teach green job training classes, such as the solar careers and opportunities workshop, and are continuously developing ideas about how we can contribute to the green job marketplace. We recently formed an alliance with the online employment service Jobing.com to build a Green Career Network that will bring together job seekers with potential employers. The focus of the network is the job board, but it also includes information on careers, training and education, job fairs, networking opportunities, the latest green job reports and a Green Career Association. Watch for developments on these upcoming activities.

I have one piece of advice for anyone seeking a green job—get some training. Whether you want to simply learn a few new job skills or change your career path, there are green job training programs out there and many more to come soon. Think about how you fit into a greener world—it’s a great time to make a contribution to changing business as usual.

Continue reading July's newsletter.