Rachel Nichols

As we grow closer to 2030 (the deadline for the United Nations’ Agenda for Sustainable Development), the job market for sustainability-related careers will also grow. The ongoing climate crisis, increasing awareness around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and changes in employee and consumer ethics are few of the many reasons why businesses and organizations are adopting sustainable practices or making sustainability the primary focus of their work. 

Sustainability is also an increasingly popular area of interest amongst current students, who will serve as the next generation of change-makers. It is important to note that sustainability is a ‘lens’ - a compilation of mindsets and approaches, and therefore it encompasses many different and unique career paths.

When it comes to searching for these types of careers, it can be difficult to know where to start. SLS’s Sustainability-Related Professional Development Resources webpage was created to guide students along their professional journey in sustainability and to help prepare them for their future after college. This page offers:

  • Resources for exploring sustainability-related careers

  • Job search tools

  • Ways to get involved (sustainability-focused clubs and organizations)

  • Events and skill-building workshops

  • Information about incorporating sustainability into your career 

  • Networking tools 

 

From the Author: 

Last summer, I worked on researching and developing this webpage as a Sustainable Communities Summer Intern. When I initially learned about this project, I knew it was perfect for me because I am interested in pursuing a career related to sustainability. As an environmental engineer, my work will have clear environmental implications through mitigating and preventing pollution. Through my job at SLS and courses I have taken through the Sustainable Cities minor, I have learned about how crucial it is to address issues beyond the environment in order to advance sustainability in a community. I hope to utilize these concepts to recognize how I can play a part in other sustainability challenges such as protecting human health.

To find resources for this webpage, I researched programs that other colleges offer and already existing guides for sustainability career planning. One of the most extensive and in-depth college programs I came across was Columbia Climate School’s Professional Development webpage. It has resources for sustainability career planning, a Sustainability Skills Seminar, a designated alumni network, career fair, and job portal. Organizations such as the International Society for Sustainable Professionals (ISSP) and Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) were also significant sources for this webpage. 

Finally, I would like to thank my fellow SLS student fellow Lara Bailen, for designing and creating the webpage on SLS’s website, along with the SLS staff and all of the other student fellows for contributing their ideas and providing support along the way.