Michael DeSafey | Executive Recruiter and HR Professional
The Environmental Industry in 2017: Recent and Forecasted Growth
As we approach the end of the decade, the once-fledgling environmental industry has grown into an indispensable source of jobs worldwide. By looking at recent trends in the industry, we can project what job opportunities will emerge in 2017.
Sustainable Energy
The renewable energy industry provided almost 10 million jobs worldwide in 2016 and is expected to surpass 10 million this year. A closer look at the breakdown of the renewable energy sector shows that we can expect most of the growth to manifest in wind and photovoltaic (solar) power production.
Although recent political developments in the United States may stall the growth of the renewable energy sector in the United States, the United States of America represent less than ten percent of the global renewable energy industry. This likely means that political hangups will have little effect on the global trends in renewable energy jobs creation.
Land and Resource Management
Protection of US land and natural resources continues to be a priority. The trump administration has proposed almost $1 billion in funding for the United States Geological Survey in 2018 (USGS) with emphases on core science systems and research methods, ecosystems research and restoration, water resource management, and land resource management.
If congress follows the guidelines laid out in this budget proposal, the USGS alone could provide thousands of jobs in the resource management in the end of 2017 and in early 2018.
Urban Planning
As the world population surpasses 7.5 billion, urban centers are growing rapidly. Top universities are offering state-of-the-art programs in the field of modern urban planning to address the rapidly increasing need for urban planners. Conferences on the topic of urban planning continue to shed light on the diverse set of skills needed to address the needs of urban populations in the coming years, including big data and advanced computer technology and applications to optimize the functionality of cities as they approach critical population levels.
As the field continues to diversify, it is difficult to quantify exactly the current number of jobs and the expected rate of growth for urban planners and developers. However, the need for innovative thinkers and experts in a wide variety of fields is growing evident as urban centers grow at unprecedented rates.
The Growing Need for Efficiency and the Role of Technology
As the global economy continues to grow in most sectors, the need to optimize the use of resources is growing more important by the quarter. Many big players in the technology industry are now getting involved in the rapidly growing environmental industry. This means that tech opportunities for software developers are emerging in unexpected places in the sustainability trade.
If you are a developer with a passion for the environment, now is an exciting time in the world of green tech. Opportunities will continue to appear as 2017 marches on.
The Environmental Industry in 2017
The world is busy at work optimizing our planet’s limited resources for the rapidly growing population. This plain fact is the closest thing to a guarantee that the environmental industry will grow significantly in 2017, into 2018, and indefinitely into the future. There’s never been a better time to look for a job in this essential industry!
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com