As the world faces the consequences of climate change, the importance of sustainable practices is becoming more evident than ever before. The GreenTech industry has emerged as a critical player in the fight against climate change, offering innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable living.
With the industry experiencing exponential growth, many individuals are looking to build a career in GreenTech. However, breaking into the industry and building a successful career can be challenging without proper guidance. In this article, we have compiled advice from industry experts on how to build a career in GreenTech.
From education and skill-building to networking and industry insights, we explore the essential steps to enter and thrive in this exciting field. Whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone looking to transition into GreenTech careers, this article will provide you with valuable insights to help you achieve your career goals.
GreenTech jobs are on the rise
The Greentech industry as a whole continues to grow. According to Bloomberg, clean technology will continue to raise investments despite uncertain economic times globally. Green technology is an exciting field with a lot of potential. There are many different types of jobs in green technology, and they’re all growing rapidly. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in this industry is expected to grow by 10% between 2016 and 2026–much faster than average! If you’re interested in helping our planet while earning a good salary, this could be your perfect career path.
How do you approach a transition into GreenTech Careers?
Here are a few tips from our side on how to start your journey with green jobs:
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Network to give yourself optionality.
Networking is an important part of any job search, but it’s especially important if you’re looking for a career in green technology. The field is growing rapidly and there are many companies that need qualified candidates to fill positions. If you can’t find the right position on your own, networking with others in the industry can help you land an interview or even a job offer.
Network with other professionals who work in green technology by attending conferences and networking events hosted by local chapters of professional associations. You can also make connections online through websites like LinkedIn or Twitter where people share their interests and expertise with each other across industries–and sometimes even across countries!
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Identify emerging opportunities.
Because of how rapidly growing the sector is, there are a plenty of opportunities when it comes to GreenTech careers. You can browse LinkedIn or look for sustainability oriented job boards to help you look for roles that will interest you. You can also talk to specialist recruiters (like Storm4) who can link you with an opportunity tailored to your skillset and preferred sector of GreenTech.
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Know why you want to transition to GreenTech, be honest about what motivates you.
GreenTech Careers are incredibly mission driven. Although money is important like in every other industry, people working in sustainability have one unified goal – saving the planet and ensuring a greener tomorrow for everyone. Keep that in mind if you’re considering a switch in your career, because the mission is one of the most crucial aspects of any GreenTech start-up around the globe.
GreenTech is a rapidly evolving industry, and it’s essential to stay flexible and adaptable. Professionals in this field need to be open to new ideas, approaches, and technologies, and be willing to take on new challenges. It’s crucial to stay curious and keep learning, as the industry continues to evolve.
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Know what tangible skills, experiences and attributes you can prove you have, and that can add value to your new GreenTech employer.
Just because you don’t have a specific sustainability-oriented degree or you don’t have prior experience within GreenTech, it doesn’t mean that you will not find opportunities for yourself. Just like in any tech industry, specific skillsets are in demand. Havin some sort of experience in the field however would give you a significant advantage, and there are various ways to gain it. Internships, volunteer opportunities, and entry-level jobs can provide valuable experience and help you build your skills and knowledge. We advise taking advantage of any opportunity to gain hands-on experience, as it can be a significant differentiator when applying for jobs.
Technical skills: You’ll need to be able to understand and work with the technical aspects of green technology. This includes understanding how energy is created, stored and used; how materials are recycled; and how products are designed for sustainability. Because many GreenTech start-ups are SaaS oriented, a background in software could be beneficial to landing a new green job for yourself.
Problem-solving skills: Green technology is constantly evolving, so you must be able to adapt as new challenges arise. You also may need to solve problems that have never been solved before–or even thought about!
Communication skills: Green tech professionals must be able to communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds (such as engineers) in order for their ideas or products to work well together.
We’ve decided to ask some of our team for recommendations on transitioning your work into GreenTech careers. Here’s what they had to say:
Aylin Polat, Managing Associate, Engineering:
“ I speak to a lot of candidates within the engineering world – some who are already in the GreenTech industry, and the other half wanting to make their move towards sustainability. For a lot of companies, they prioritize seeing passion and motivation within their employees rather than previous experience within GreenTech. In the more niche fields such as Wind, Solar and sometimes EV, a background in those sectors is beneficial or sometimes necessary but half of the time companies are flexible especially if the candidate has the right motivation or reasoning for joining.
What I would encourage candidates to do is to do their research on which sector interests them the most, look for active job applications or companies who are hiring within that sector and reach out to them. Often candidates get scared off or discouraged of applying or making their move towards GreenTech as they believe they do not have the relevant or enough background experience, but I would encourage them to always make that first move as they never know what kind of opportunities they may come across.
Often on Management and more executive level the background and experience in GreenTech is not as important as the leadership experience that they may bring! “
In conclusion, building a successful career in GreenTech requires a combination of passion, education, experience, and networking. Remember to stay flexible and be passionate and persistent in pursuing your goals, and you’ll be well on your way to a rewarding career in GreenTech. If you’re keen on making a switch to a GreenTech Career, Storm4 can help you find your next opportunity in the world of sustainability. If you’re keen to know more, register with us! And if you’re looking to expand your team, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
