A study by green-industry research firm Clean Edge reports that
"we are just at the beginning of the 'clean tech' job creation era"
and the development of energy efficiency practices, renewable
energy, and environmentally-friendly manufacturing and building
will offer "the greatest opportunity for wealth and job creation
since the advent of computers and the Internet.Clean Edge identifies the top five clean-tech employment sectors as
1) Solar Power,
2) Biofuels and Biomaterials,
3) Smart Grid & Energy Efficiency,
4) Wind Power, and
5) Advanced Transportation/Vehicles.
The report stresses that one does not need a four-year degree
to enter the clean-tech field. There are opportunities for those
with high school diplomas and associate degrees in "many popular fields like green building, solar power, and wind energy. "
Positions that do not require a four-year degree can also offer
good pay. The report cites HVAC service technicians ($48,600),
solar energy system installers ($37,700), and wind turbine technicians ($48,300) as careers that "offer living-wage median pay to entry-level workers without a bachelor's degree." Earnings are even better for those with a bachelor's degree and higher.
Good-paying career options include environmental engineering managers ($106,000), senior electrical engineers ($95,400), wind construction superintendents ($76,700), and LEED architects ($57,100). Although opportunities in clean-tech are available throughout the United States, the report identifies 15 metropolitan areas that are the best for clean-tech job seekers.
The list is based on a "range of metrics including current and historical job postings, early-stage and public-market investment activity, clean-tech job presence, and clean-energy patent activity." The top 15 metro areas are 1) San Francisco Oakland-
San Jose, California; 2) Los Angeles-Long-Beach Riverside,
. California; 3) Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Massachusetts, New Hampshire; 4) New York-Northern New Jersey-Long
Island, New York, New Jersey; 5) Denver-Aurora-Broomfield,
Colorado; 6) Washington-Arlington-Baltimore, District of
Columbia, Virginia, Maryland; 7) San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, California; 8) Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas; 9) Chicago Joliet-Naperville, Illinois; 10) Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas; 11) Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington; 12) Atlanta Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia; 13) Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas; 14) Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon Washington; and 15) Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, California.
Visit http://cleanedge.com/reports/reports-jobtrends2010.php to read the complete report, Clean Tech Job Trends 2010, including detailed industry breakdowns and information on salaries and best performing companies. |
