Sustainability, green industries, green jobs.

What do these terms mean?

Sustainability is defined by the United Nations’ Brundtland Commission as “meeting the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”  There are three dimensions or “pillars” of sustainability: social, economic and environmental. All three are inter-connected, and all three are equally important.

Green Industries

Green industries are those that have a net positive impact on the environment. In the broadest sense, this can include any field of science, technology or business that innovates, develops and supports a “net positive impact on the environment.”

Specific examples of green industries include:

• renewable energy development and distribution (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal)
• energy conservation (efficient fuels, water and electricity management) 
• waste reduction (recycled construction products, zero-waste manufacturing)
• low-impact building construction (use recycled materials and renewable energy sources, reduce waste, provide healthful indoor environment)
• landscape design (erosion control, minimal disruption of habitat, water and waste management)

Green Jobs

According to the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, green jobs are “paying positions that have net positive impacts, direct or indirect, on the environment.”

Direct jobs are those that are closely involved with the core activities of the company, such as solar panel installation, biofuel development, aquaculture, or the manufacture of recycled materials.  Indirect jobs within green industries include the support services needed to run any company, such as accounting or database management.

A Wealth of Information at O*Net

America’s primary source of information about all occupations is O*Net, the Occupational Information Network.  O*Net was developed by the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration through a grant to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. Learn more about the wide range of green industries and occupations at www.onetcenter.org/green.html.

O*Net’s research on the green economy is summarized in the paper, “Greening of the World of Work: Implications for O*NET-SOC and New and Emerging Occupations”.

Educational Opportunities at Wake Tech

At Wake Tech, green jobs are clustered within Wake Tech’s current training in traditional technology programs of plumbing, heating and cooling, construction, architecture, landscaping, environmental sciences, automotive technology, heavy equipment, and civil engineering.

Curriculum Education (earning credit toward a degree)

There are two main educational paths in the Curriculum Education at Wake Tech:

1. Gain the skills for employment with a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree, a one-year technical diploma, or a technical certificate.  Or,
2. Earn a two-year Associate of Science or Associate of Science in Pre-Engineering degree and then transfer to a four-year college or university. This will allow you to earn a bachelor’s degree in a green job-related degree program.

For more information on Curriculum Education training in green careers, contact the Wake Tech Dean of Sustainability, Butch Grove, at rhgrove@waketech.edu or 919-866-5244.

Continuing Education (non-degree, short-term training)

Wake Tech also offers many opportunities for short-term Continuing Education (non-credit) courses in green jobs and emerging technologies. To learn more about these opportunities, click Short-term Training on the menu bar at left.