Undergraduate Blog / Career Development

Environmental Career Path: A Senior Student Story

 

Online resources, job and internship opportunities, on campus employer engagement and student appointments focused on environmental careers continue to grow. The partnerships and activity across campus have been remarkable. Vikki Rodgers, an environmental sustainability faculty member, hosted a networking dinner event with students, faculty, alumni and me from UGCCD.  At the dinner, I shared green career-specific resources and we heard from alumni that have chosen to utilize their Babson business degree to support the development of a more sustainable future in a variety of career paths. I am also eager to attend Babson’s Energy and Environmental Conference this week. If you have any interest in learning more about an environmental career path – this is a great place learn and network right here on campus.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics continue to analyze trends, job distribution and wages for green jobs. I highly recommend you review their website for an overview of definitions for all categories within the field (i.e., renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution reduction, conservation and compliance). Green jobs are described as a subgroup of sustainability jobs – jobs that deal with the “triple bottom line” (people, planet, profit). Sustainable jobs cross all industries which is exciting, but also sometimes difficult to navigate when looking for an internship or job because of its wide reach across so many types of organizations.

I decided to ask senior Grace Morton, who I have been working with on her job search, to share her experience as she pursues an environmental career:

 

 

Vicky:   How did your interest in an environmental career path develop?

Grace:   It was a very long path to my decision to pursue an environmental career. I have always been interested in sustainability and environmental technology after growing up in an environmentally conscious family, but I had never thought about turning that interest into a career. I worked as an Eco Rep on campus and took a variety of environmental courses while at Babson which strengthened my interest and my passion. It was not until the beginning of my senior year when a professor told me that I should be working in something that I love that I turned my focus to finding a job in an environmental industry. It did not seem like a viable option until I started researching and found how large and booming the industry was and how much potential it held.

Vicky:   What have you found most helpful as a senior currently in the job search process?

Grace:   The best thing that I have done in my job search is to stay up-to-date on all green-tech media to see what is currently going on in the industry. Many media sites focus on new technologies that have been launched, acquisitions and mergers of companies, and who has recently received funding. By keeping up with the recent news, I have been able to learn about many more companies in the industry and stay up to date on the newest technologies. From the media, I have also found many companies to reach out to for job opportunities and to find people to talk to about their work. My main source of information has been http://www.greentechmedia.com/.

Vicky:   Are there any tips you could share with students that are just starting to realize they have an interest in environmental related careers?

Grace:   Take any and all courses at Babson that peak your environmental interests. The classes that I have taken have helped me find my particular areas of interest, educated me on the history of our environment, and have taught me where business fits into the whole picture of sustainability. The professors who teach these classes are immensely helpful – willing to help in any way that they can in order for you to be successful and find an opportunity in an environmental career path.

Thanks to Grace for sharing her story!