How do I get a graduate job in the environment sector?
Graduate vacancies in the environment sector are increasing as climate change issues hit headlines. This opens up a range of career options for graduates searching for a job in conservation, ecology, biodiversity or sustainability – find out what green graduates can do and start your environmental career today.
A series of recent events have demonstrated both the power and the fragility of the environment and in February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol came into force. This international agreement set targets for industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. The UK government has pledged that by 2010 it will cut carbon dioxide emissions to 20 per cent below the 1990 levels. In order to do this, it is employing legislative and economic strategies with regard to the supply, demand and use of energy, recycling targets and the protection of green belt areas.
Environmental concerns bring more career opportunities for graduates
Heightened environmental awareness brings increasing opportunities for graduates to work in a wide variety of areas within the environment sector - from agriculture to engineering and research to law. The range of careers available spans environmental, sustainable and ethical areas that are enormously diverse. People working in any area of this field will be primarily concerned with the impact of people and industry on the environment and how this affects human lives. In order for businesses to meet the government's targets, big changes are necessary. This means new graduate roles in the environment sector are being created every day in areas such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and power generation. The more traditional environmental employers are recruiting graduates for roles in flood management and conservation too.
What kind of environmental graduate role can I do?
The traditional graduate route is to choose to work in an organisation concerned with protecting the environment. These employers recruit for support roles in finance and human resources as well as for hands-on environmental work and research positions. It’s also possible to work as an environmental specialist within another discipline such as engineering, business, law, finance (environmental audit) or retail. Large organsations are realising it is both practical and responsible to develop more efficient processes, use fewer natural resources and produce less waste. Accordingly, they have created positions for graduate environmental specialists to address such concerns and help to implement measures such as reducing, reusing and reycling in roles as CSR officers and managers.
How can I get a green graduate job?
There’s such a variety of roles in the environment sector that there is not one application process to fit all. However, you can be sure that you’ll need to submit some form of application and attend an interview, so we have a handy list of articles that will help you prepare and present to the best of your abilities. It is also very common for graduate job-hunters in the environment sector to write speculative applications.
Top tips for applications and interview success
The 6-step guide to perfecting your CV
The online form guide
Perfect interview preparation
Show off your skills
An introduction to assessment centres
Finding an environmental job
Find a graduate job in the environment
Graduate jobs in the environment starting now
Graduate employers and graduate programmes starting after graduation
Other sectors that might interest you
Charity/not for profit
Civil engineering
Construction
Engineering
Government and public service
Science, research and development
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