Green Jobs: 7 Exciting Green Collar Jobs

Are you a green conscious person? If you have a passion for the environment and wish to align your values into your work ethic and make a living out of it, a green career might be the right fit for you. According to SimplyHired.com, a vertical online job database company, green collar jobs increased 233 percent since October of 2008. Here are 7 top green jobs available in this fast growing field:

• Civil engineer: There is a demand for qualified civil engineers to oversee construction projects, such as water system, sewage facilities, and road pavements thanks to the influx of government stimuli cash. With infrastructure needs on the rise, this sector of the green market will grow 11 percent in the next few years, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). PayScale.com, an online salary database company, states the median salary for civil engineers is $67,000 per year.

• Environmental engineer: As environmental concerns rise around the world, environmental engineers are needed to solve issues on water pollution (i.e. BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico), air pollution, waste disposal, and public health issues. Environmental engineers can make more than $67,000 per year and is one of the many green careers that need green collar jobs training.

• Water-treatment specialist: A water-treatment specialist is one of those green collar jobs that have been around for as long as we’ve had running water in our homes and businesses. As alternative solutions are being asked for by the public at large in replace of bottled water, there is a high demand for these specialists to work on new sewage treatment rules etc. Unlike an environmental engineer, extensive education isn’t needed to be a water-treatment specialist. Workers with high school diploma and five years of experience can expect to earn over $40,000 per year.

You can turn a generalized job, refine it, and turn it into green collar jobs as well, such as:

• Surveyor: Often referred to as “the second oldest profession,” a surveyor is a professional who officially inspects for the purpose of ascertaining the right conditions, values on any given market/product/service. This profession can easily adapt to a green collar job as a land surveyor, redeveloping old industrial sites or reclaim contaminated properties. Expect $50,000 per year with a bachelor’s degree and several years of experience.

• Software developer: A developer can channel his/her technical expertise into a green career by applying software/database design skills into making solar energy more affordable. Median salary is $74,000 per year, but with advance green collar jobs training, certifications or advance degrees, there is the potentiality to raise your earning wage.

• Grant writer: Grant writers can also profit on the green movement by helping non-profit environmental foundations find and apply for government/private funds to protect our Earth’s ecosystem. Grant writers can expect to make about $48,000 per year.

• Sales and human resources: As with any market base, human resource and sales associates are needed to promote the eco-friendly products and services. Professional green career salespeople can expect to earn around $50,000 annually.