Busy! Heading to LAX to catch a flight to a client meeting - or taking my dog Luna to the office to get ready for the first of 6 conference calls with various clients talking through the details of their projects - or heading to work on-site at a conference training venue staff on sustainability / waste diversion.
CAREER
Sustainability Specialists
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$74,670
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+5% (as fast as the average)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Sustainability Specialists Do
Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.
Other Job Titles Sustainability Specialists May Have
Sustainability Consultant, Sustainability Coordinator, Sustainability Specialist, Sustainable Design Coordinator
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
As a sustainability employee for the city of Philadelphia, my work focuses on reducing our carbon footprint and combating climate change. I coordinate with city departments to transition our fleet to electric vehicles, work on solar energy projects, and secure funding through grants. I love seeing the tangible impact of my efforts, like calculating the carbon emissions we've prevented or securing millions in funding for sustainable projects.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
- Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
- Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
- Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
- Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Sustainability Specialists
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (52%)
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Economics, General
Graduate
Business Administration and Management, General
Consultant ,
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Political Science and Government, General
Graduate
International Relations and Affairs
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Be flexible, have drive, a desire to make a difference, patience, and perseverance. "No" does not exist.
Authenticity is very important as an entrepreneur. It's especially important if you're going to be a trailblazer in your field. Self-confidence has also been very helpful for me. I take on speaking engagements and am the face of my organization, so that confidence paired with speaking and presentation skills are imperative.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
Consultant ,
Try to use school projects as an opportunity to work with your favorite heroes, brands, & causes. Stop writing papers that you don't like and only your professor, TA, & mom read. Tell your teachers you are working on lab-to-market skills that will help you develop a portfolio, discover your passions, & network w/ potential future clients/employers. Be respectful, but with a touch of irreverence. Remember, the promise of the American Dream has changed: college credit means less than creativity.
Be flexible and focus more on your skill set than on getting a degree on a specific topic. Do as many side projects as possible to build skills. Field experience is helpful and can certainly help you focus on what you want to do with your graduate studies. Build a portfolio both a paper version and digitally via your social profiles such as LinkedIn.
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
