Colleges and Universities exist to develop the leaders of tomorrow, and it is vital that students are supported to develop sustainability skills during their studies, and then also to pursue careers in this area following graduation if they wish to do so.
Growing numbers of students engaging with sustainability issues are looking to follow a career in this area, but Careers and Student Advisors sometimes struggle to understand what this means and how students can best develop both their employability and the quality of their applications for such roles. It is important that support is made widely available.
The EAUC-Scotland Office, as part of their 2014-17 programme, identified the need across the UK for written guidance to help anyone looking for or advising on careers in sustainability. Through extensive research in both universities and colleges, and in collaboration with career support organisations, feedback suggested that Advisors were in need of online resources which they could use to learn more about these types of careers, which could also be made accessible to students looking to pursue a career in the sector.
The EAUC Sustainability Careers Guide has been developed to cover the three topics below, helping support both advisors and students through the careers journey with some top tips and plenty of links to resources along the way.
If you are interested in one particular section - this can be individually downloaded through the pages below:
Understanding Jobs in Sustainability – From your basic knowledge of what a ‘sustainability’ job is to understanding the opportunities for jobs within the wider sector going forward; this section is about comprehending the wide scope of a career involving sustainability.
Preparing for a Job in Sustainability – Focusing in on the variety of jobs in the area and how to gain the skills and knowledge needed for a career in sustainability through work experience, courses, formal and informal networking and voluntary work.
Winning a Job in Sustainability – A helpful section with contacts and links that help narrow down the search when looking for a specific job as well as tips on how to promote your sustainability credentials in CVs, cover letters and interviews.
In addition to the Guides a series of three webinars were hosted so that everyone could join the conversation and hear from people working and supporting sustainability careers.
Webinar 1 – An introduction to a variety of different jobs involving or supporting sustainability, hearing about the careers paths of a Head of Social Responsibility and Sustainability Programmes, a Senior Policy Officer, a Sustainability Consultant and an Energy & Utilities Manager. (First broadcast 9 March 2017)
Webinar 2 – Companies and professional associations about what employers are looking for in their sustainability graduates, the skills and knowledge that are important to them when hiring and the trends in the job market at the moment. (First broadcast 10 March 2017)
Webinar 3 – How to prepare for the job you are interested in, from the internal support you can receive from careers advisors, the social skills you gain through external professional and social networks as well as formalised internships and work experience opportunities that are available. (First broadcast 27 March 2017)
If you have any questions about the Careers Resources please contact us.
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Green career alumni stories - British Council
Stories from UK alumni - get inspired by watching videos about how ten UK alumni built their successful green careers:...
Green careers webinars - British Council
Preparing for a job in sustainability
Understanding jobs in sustainability
Winning a job in sustainability
Resource on the third part of the Careers Project: Winning a Job in Sustainability, including webinar.
Resource on the second part of the Careers Project: Preparing for a Job in Sustainability, including webinar.
Resource on the first part of the Careers Project: Understanding Sustainability Jobs. This includes a link to a webinar held on the same topic.