Green jobs are growing rapidly around the world. Sectors involved with employment that is better for the environment are amongst the very few that are showing positive signs of growth in 2012 and beyond. According to Examiner.com, here are the sectors that are most likely to create jobs.
1. Energy Efficiency TechnologiesEnergy efficiency has been steadily growing and this is particularly true in the last couple of years. These "shovel ready jobs." have raised significant investment capital last 2 years. Energy efficiency (technologies, process and applications) is very popular because these applications can be applied immediately to existing infrastructure, and able to generate than reinventing a new technology.
2. Recycling technologiesNew recycling technologies and increasing outsourcing are trends that are being adopted by governments worldwide. There have been quite a number of companies successfully developing new technologies for recycling. These include companies that convert solid waste into energy, packaging or building materials.
Professionals can look for companies providing recycling services or companies that have invented new recycling technologies. Many new jobs are also being created by environmental engineering companies, some of which have expanded into waste management services.
3. Green Building MaterialsThe green building sector is a very important industry that is experiencing massive growth. Green building innovations like green cement is replacing traditional cement which is very environmentally destructive.
Private equity firms in Europe, Middle East and China are investing in building materials that require less water. They have made investments which address issues related to the scarcity of water in these regions.
For job seekers or recruiters, look for major building materials suppliers.
4. Water Resources ConservationCountries like United States, Canada, Australia and Israel are particularly active in investing in water resources conservation and management technologies.
These include diagnosis, water treatment and irrigation systems. In Asia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan are prioritizing water management technologies. Singapore has achieved remarkable success in this field due to significant investments from governments and the private sector.
In North America, many companies have developed new membrane technologies to improve water conservation. New consulting firms have also been established to provide testing and remediation for water resources.
5. Home ProductsHome products are a growth sector because they are easily replaced. In addition, a lot of these products benefit from government rebates. This creates new opportunities for manufacturers and retailers. Investors are also involved with low water toilets, solar panels, efficient windows and efficient heating and cooling units.
Consumers are changing their buying behavior and this is providing job opportunities. Consider window manufacturers, lighting companies, or companies that manufacture efficient heating and cooling systems.
6. Geothermal Energy CompaniesGeothermal is a proven and safe renewable source of energy. It is already a widely adopted energy option in the US, Canada, Iceland and New Zealand, South America and Northern Europe.
Professionals can seek potential opportunities with mining and energy companies, or with investment firms that invest in alternative energies.
7. Solar & wind energyA number of investments made last quarter were relating to energy storage technologies specifically designed to boost efficiency for solar and wind energy infrastructure. These technologies can enhance solar and wind energy generation and storage as part of the energy efficiency improvement.
Solar and wind energy companies became focus points in 2nd half of 2011, mainly due to the nuclear power issue in Japan. Decisions were made by several European governments to cancel or delay their nuclear power plans and focus more on solar and wind energy.
Interesting job opportunities may exist with solar companies, wind energy companies, utilities companies and companies that provide energy storage solutions and technologies to solar and wind energy.
8. Cleantech Marketing CompaniesCleantech and green industries are not just restricted to the technology and energy sectors. As we have seen recently, a number of social media websites were launched dedicated to green industries.
Some of these websites and marketing companies have been expanding at very rapid rate. For instance, there are cleantech specialized public relations companies, they create campaigns for cleantech and green companies, or to reach the LOHAs communities, which are often more affluent communities with higher disposable incomes.
There has also been significant growth in green media companies such as cleantech news sites, cleantech investment websites or business matching sites.
Green media will offer interesting opportunities for those with media or journalism experience.
9. Household Green Services There are many jobs available with ompanies that help residential homes to become more energy efficient like those involved with efficiency retrofits.
Jobs in this field are available through plumbing companies, insulation specialists, electricity contractors and residential solar or wind energy specialists.
10. Green Investment FirmsGreen financing is another area that has seen a substantial growth. For example, green private equity firms back some Green ETFs. Socially Responsible Investments were popular in 2006 and 2007 and will likely continue.
When looking for jobs you can consider green venture capital firms, or green mutual funds as well as investor relations firms that specializes in helping cleantech or energy companies to reach investors.
Good examples include Google and Intel Capital or Virgin Group, all of which have cleantech venture capital firms even though their core businesses are not related to the cleantech.
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