The Big Picture

Trends in environmental jobs

 

Describes some of the trends in environmental jobs.

The various political, environmental, social and technological (PEST) trends can be analysed to scan the future of environmental careers.

 

 

 

Environmental jobs

• More environmental jobs in private and public sectors
• More qualified and experienced applicants for jobs
• More status in decision-making, research and development
• More professionalism and pay
• More international
• More aware of how environment and business works

All jobs

• More aware of how environment impacts business
• More internalisation of environment in decision-making
• More aware of international footprint
• More environmental literacy
• More holistic management alongside quality, health and safety, eq opportunities and social responsibility

So what sort of career for you?

The concepts underpinning modern understanding of sustainable development have been permeating society since the late 1960s or early 1970s.

During this time, the world and our consciousness of environmental and social consequence has risen dramatically, yet the process of fully internalising sustainable development is very far from complete.

Looking ahead, environmental jobs will inevitably increase, but will also change in nature.  We have been used to Environment as separate to Business or Government, often as a retrospective consideration reflected at worst in the end of pipe mindset. This will change.

Environmental, as indeed social, considerations will become progressively internalised into decision-making rather than their consequences managed after the key choices have been made.

The environmental professional of the future will be better versed in the workings of government, corporate planning and other spheres of societal activities so that environmental implications are progressively factored in up front.  This will be a defining feature of sustainable development.

Environmental Data Services publishes information and analysis of developments shaping the business climate serving all types environmental professionals. ENDS includes market analysis, forecasting, environmental policy and business issues, as well as trends in UK environmental careers and salaries amongst businesses and consultancies.

Scientists for Global Responsibility promotes ethical science and technology. SGR has a major programme Thinking about an Ethical Career in Science and Technology, which produces a series of online briefings.

British Ecological Society is a learned society for those with an interest in ecology. BES offers careers advice with its downloadable publication Rooting for a Career, with advice on employers, qualifications required and career profiles, offers grants to students and recent graduates for residential specialist courses, especially those at the Field Studies Council Centres.

Old v New job

The world of employment has changed considerably since your parents were looking for their first job.

Old job	New job
Lots of work of all types	Lots of skilled work available
Job for life	Job changes several times
Narrow set of skills required	Core skills relevant to many jobs required
Little training offered once employed	Continuous updating and retraining required
Job stays the same	Jobs changes regularly and quickly
Few qualifications required for unskilled jobs	Qualifications required for all jobs
Previous experience not required, training given on the job	Previous experience required but often means volunteering for a while
Interest in the environment a handicap	Interest in the environment an advantage
Very few environmental jobs	Lots of environmental jobs, but still not enough to go round

The good news

• Few people now think environmentalists are not living in the real word.
• Environmental protection and resource efficiency is becoming accepted as a top priority.
• The number of environmental jobs is increasing.
• There are increasing opportunities to study for environmental qualifications and learn environmental skills.
• You can make a decent living as an environmental professional.
• Employers want to employ people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that come with being an environmentalist.

The not so good news

• There are still fewer environmental jobs than people wanting them.
• The pay for protecting the Earth is generally less than for exploiting it.
• The value of environmental qualifications is not understood by all employers.

Environmental Jobs in different parts of the UK

Jobs are a political tool that can work both against good environmental management and for it.

Wales

Countryside Council for Wales is the Government's statutory adviser on sustaining natural beauty, wildlife and the opportunity for outdoor enjoyment in Wales and its inshore waters. CCW claimed that one in six jobs depend on the environment (Summer 2001). More than 117,000 full-time jobs in Wales depend heavily on the environment. Other indirect jobs take the total to 169,000 – that’s one in six Welsh workers. Activities directly associated with protecting and enhancing the environment creates 26,000 full-time jobs. These are some of the headline facts and figures from a study, which was sponsored by CCW as part of a partnership led by the National Trust.

It makes the environment the second largest employment sector in Wales, after manufacturing industry.

Valuing our Environment also shows that the management and use of the environment, and the knock-on economic effects, generates wealth worth around £9 billion to Wales each year. That’s almost £1 in every £10 of Welsh prosperity. This work contributes around £1.8 billion in wages to people in Wales.

One of the most important points to come out of this report is that the environment underpins the economy throughout Wales, and not just in the rural areas. The quality of the Welsh environment gives Wales a distinct economic advantage.

The National Assembly has developed the National Economic Development Strategy for Wales, with a target of creating 135,000 new jobs. This report shows that environmental investment is a key to help achieve this. If we harm the environment, we know that we will also be taking jobs away from people.

 

Scotland

Scottish Natural Heritage secures the conservation, enhancement, understanding and enjoyment of the natural heritage of Scotland. SNH publishes a downloadable booklet Jobs and the Natural Heritage exploring the way in which the natural heritage helps to support employment in Scotland.

East Midlands

ECOTEC Research and Consulting is an international research, consulting and programme management company. ECOTEC produced a report Skills Needs Analysis for Environmental Industries in the East Midlands: A Final Report to the East Midlands Development Agency, which outlines skills needs and analysis for the environmental industries in the East Midlands.

South West

Skills and Learning Intelligence Module brings information and intelligence on skills and learning to policy makers and practitioners across the South West. SLIM has a report Skills Review of the Environmental Technology Sector, South West Region by Entri Research Ltd.

Publications on Environmental Careers

Environmental Careers Organisation publishes for the US Environmental Careers for the 21^st Century, and The ECO Guide to Careers That Make a Difference: Environmental Work for a Sustainable Future.

Environmental Careers Center publishes several books and CDROMs on environmental careers in the US.

Centre for Alternative Technology publishes The Sustainable Careers Handbook.

Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management publishes Environmental Careers: The Inside Guide.

Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and The British Ecological Society publishes Rooting for a Career in Ecology and Environmental Management?