“The Rise of Green Careers: Why Every Field Matters in Building a Sustainable Future.” [Alyssa Strickland of Millennial-Parents.com]
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Some three years ago, the Wildlife Trusts posed the question Can every job be a green job? – which in turn was covered by a blog piece on these pages suggesting that every UK job has the potential to be green.
But, realistically, does every job in the Sid Valley have the potential to be green?
A search online for ‘green careers’ gives the obvious ‘outdoor work’ – and there are indeed a lot of professional gardeners offering their services to Sidmouth residents. There are also ‘green jobs’ on offer from the likes of the Town Council [in sustainable tourism]. However, the national government’s page of ‘environment jobs in Sidmouth’ include an optometrist and two kitchen porters.
More realistically, our young people will have to leave the Valley to study – but there are businesses opening up in Sidmouth which are geared to sustainability with the promise of expansion and careers, from local businesses such as Swell Architecture to national charities such as The Donkey Sanctuary.
And whilst there are indeed conservation careers available in these parts, there is growing interest in making sustainability and environmental awareness as central to how businesses and organisations work – as witnessed in the Sustainable Sidmouth Champions Awards 2023 when a huge variety of people from schools to local authorities, from local firms to volunteer groups showed commitment to ‘greening’ their operations.
Perhaps, then, we need to ask the obvious question, What are Green Jobs?
Here’s a definition from that blog piece from three years ago:
Whether it’s Gen-Z calling out supply chain injustices on social media, Millennials protesting about energy-inefficient workplace practices, or the older generations looking for better ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, it’s clear that businesses need to listen, respond and introduce more green jobs that truly serve our modern-day society.
An updated look at what we mean by ‘green job’ would be useful, however.
And so we’re very grateful to Alyssa Strickland of Millennial-Parents.com for sending in this very pertinent piece, which we publish in full below:
The Rise of Green Careers: Why Every Field Matters in Building a Sustainable Future
There’s a shift happening—quiet at first, but rapidly picking up force. It’s visible in job boards, in boardrooms, in city councils and classrooms. The shift? Work itself is getting greener. And not just in solar panels or wind farms. From logistics to law, from finance to fashion, nearly every sector is being asked the same question: How does your role help or harm the future?
The Jobs Are Already Here
In this emerging landscape, sustainability isn’t a side gig—it’s central. Just a few years ago, titles like “Director of Climate Strategy” felt rare. Now, they’re not only common, they’re funded. The surge in green employment is happening across industries that never used to think about emissions or circularity. From packaging design to procurement, demand is high for people who can link business value with planetary boundaries. If you’re wondering whether the shift is real, follow the money and the job listings—it’s already underway.
What Green Means in Practice
The phrase “green job” sounds niche until you realize it could mean anything. It’s not always about policy or science. Often, it’s about judgment—knowing when to push for better practices. That’s why having a foundation in sustainability skills is what makes you valuable, not a particular degree or title. Systems thinking, impact measurement, stakeholder communication—these aren’t add-ons. They’re core. And they’re portable across nearly every profession.
Business Education With an Agenda
There’s also a rising demand for leadership that knows how to balance profit with purpose. Professionals aiming to steer companies toward sustainable futures are increasingly pursuing an MBA degree with sustainability at the center. These programs blend financial literacy with long-term thinking, stakeholder negotiation, and ESG integration. The result? Graduates who aren’t just fluent in spreadsheets—but in systems. The kind of leadership that doesn’t just fit in, but transforms from within.
Training the Workforce That Doesn’t Yet Exist
Most of the roles needed for the future don’t exist yet—or they do, but the training hasn’t caught up. That’s where upskilling comes in. Companies are realizing that they can’t hire their way out of the green transition; they need to retrain their current teams. As part of this shift, reskilling workers for the green economy has become a high priority. Whether it’s operations, sales, or IT, professionals who can align their existing expertise with new sustainability metrics are in demand.
Not Starting Over—Starting From Where You Are
The biggest misconception? That working in sustainability means quitting your job and becoming an environmental scientist. In truth, most progress will be made by people who stay put—but shift how they work. That’s already happening. HR directors are revamping onboarding to reflect climate commitments. Finance teams are quantifying climate risk. And marketers are baking ethics into brand narratives. Across sectors, more people are using existing skills to contribute to broader sustainability outcomes, without scrapping their entire careers.
Collaboration Over Heroism
Sustainability isn’t a hero’s journey—it’s a relay. Progress depends on teamwork between groups who don’t typically share space. Scientists can model the problem, but they need creatives to make it visible, and legal teams to make it actionable. That’s why so many organizations are emphasizing interdisciplinary strategies for sustainability. These aren’t just cross-functional meetings—they’re ways of embedding environmental thinking across disciplines. It’s messy work, and it only succeeds when teams treat it as shared responsibility.
Follow the Money, Follow the Change
This transition isn’t about isolated job titles—it’s about entire economies shifting direction. Labor markets are starting to reflect that. Sectors tied to clean energy, circular systems, and carbon intelligence are pulling ahead, with significant growth forecasts across the board. As new standards and incentives roll out globally, how sustainability is reshaping the job market is becoming clear. Roles that once seemed peripheral are now central to value creation. Ignore this shift, and you risk becoming obsolete. Adapt, and you ride the next big wave.
It’s Time to Rethink What Your Job Can Be
You don’t need to be a climate scientist to make climate-conscious choices. You don’t need to be in government to influence public good. And you don’t need to quit your job to work toward a livable future. But you do need to start seeing your work as part of the system that shapes outcomes. Green careers are not just for the next generation. They’re for right now. For managers, mechanics, marketers. For you. This transition is real, and it’s calling every field to evolve. Sustainability isn’t a trend. It’s the baseline expectation for future-relevant work.
Discover how the Vision Group for Sidmouth is championing sustainability and community initiatives in the Sid Valley—join us in shaping a vibrant future for our area!
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