Over the past decade, women have been pursuing nontraditional jobs and benefiting from the greater earning potential these jobs offer. Despite this shift, green career opportunities remain largely untapped by women. A new guide from the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau, “Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman’s Guide to a Sustainable Career” (PDF) aims to prepare women to use these sustainable careers to sustain themselves and their families.
The 128-page guide provides an overview of the types of green jobs that are available and the skills required to obtain them. Training opportunities, ways to pay for training and ideas for starting one’s own green business are also detailed.
“American workers and employers must lead the green revolution to win the future. To do so, they need to understand what green jobs are, how to educate themselves for a green career, and how to find a green job,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “We are working hard to ensure that women have access to these high-paying, high-demand jobs so that they can advance their careers and achieve economic security for themselves and their families.
The guide lists seven reasons why green jobs are good for women. More details about each of the following steps are available in the guide:
- A green job can provide the chance to earn more.
- You can start with any skill level and move along a career path.
- Green jobs appeal to workers with diverse skills and interests.
- Green jobs can give you greater satisfaction.
- Green job opportunities are available for workers of any age.
- Green employers are looking to hire.
- There are multiple ways to get started in a green job.
The guide includes a list of soft skills that are important to succeed in the field to help persuade women about the applicability of their abilities to green jobs:
- Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing
- A strong work ethic
- Ability to work in a team
- Initiative
- Ability to analyze a problem.
A free copy of the guide can be downloaded from http://www.dol.gov/wb/Green_Jobs_Guide/GreenJobs%20Final_11.2011.pdf.
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