The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists “sustainability” as one of the top careers in coming years. As saving the planet becomes an increasing focus for individuals and organizations, the potential impact of choosing a sustainable career spans social, economic, energy, and environmental fields. There are many different ways that you can make your career more sustainable and help your field move towards the future of green businesses.
1. Start Your Own Company
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there has been a 49 percent growth rate in the number of new businesses started annually just in the last three decades. As well, 55 percent of all job opportunities come from small businesses – meaning that clearly, small business is big business. If you are passionate about sustainability, consider starting your own small firm that handles consulting to larger companies who are wrestling with creating a sustainable workplace. If you already have an idea for your small business, take actions to set an example by taking steps to make your business green.
2. Develop Your Cross-Cultural Skills
Today’s world is a cross-cultural world. The internet has permitted people on separate sides of the planet to connect, solve problems, and share ideas. Creating sustainability in your career can be enhanced when you study abroad to view sustainability problems from a fresh perspective. With collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas, you expand your career options and your effectiveness in your chosen branch of the sustainability field.
3. Choose a Sustainable Education
Today there are more options than ever before for obtaining a degree that puts issues of sustainability at the forefront. Whether your talent is for mathematics, engineering, social work, activism, management, administration, or another field, by choosing to earn your MU Sustainable Development Masters degree, you can put those skills to work to save the planet. If you already have a passion for green living, getting a degree in a green field is a way to expand your career choices and take you green lifestyle to the next level.
4. Pick Your Battles and Partners Well
There are many issues in the world today that relate back to sustainability. From energy shortages to genetically modified food sources, you can’t hope to tackle and solve them all within the context of your career. Rather, pick one area where you have strong skills and sensibilities and partner with others to spread the overall impact of your work. You will be able to take your business further and do higher quality work if you choose a specific area of focus.
5. Change With the Times By Staying Educated
The Earth’s climate is changing, and along with that come other difficult and unavoidable changes. A sustainability career is a progressive career in every sense of the world. As such, the most successful professionals will stay educated and informed about new research, ideas, issues, and prospective solutions. This means you will need to stay on top of reading about new developments or taking extra classes about new resources. Sustainability isn’t new, but new ideas on being more green come out every day.
Sustainability is the future. More and more businesses are moving towards green business in order to not only help the environment, but to attract people who have the same ideas. A great way to stay relevant and ready for change in your career field is to learn more about sustainability and implement it in your own workplace.
