The growth of renewable energy as a public policy focus has resulted in a burgeoning professional field. Graduates who want to use their technical education for a good cause can delve into issues of alternative fuels, energy-efficient consumer products and finding new sources of energy for the world. The problem for novice and experienced professionals in this new job market knows where to look. The number of renewable energy consultancies is growing but not large enough to manage the growth in interest by young professionals. There are several target industries that should be used in the job hunt to find a renewable energy job.
The most obvious industry for renewable energy jobs is the automotive market. Media outlets have been covering fuel efficiency standards since the 1980s and consumers want to save on fuel costs. Engineers, designers and manufacturing professionals who are familiar with the process of creating an automobile can retrofit these ideas to the renewable energy market. In many cases, fuel-efficient cars are designed the same as their predecessors. The challenge lies in applying old marks of excellence to a new technology.
Technical professionals looking for renewable energy jobs should look to the waste management industry as an underrated area of growth. Waste management companies help facilitate recycling programs and storage for products that need to be processed properly for reuse. Many professionals assume waste management is garbage pickup and drop off but there are many workers behind the scenes. Site managers and scientists alike work in waste storage facilities figuring out ways to reuse tons of garbage and recyclable material.
Many renewable energy professionals overlook the area of marine engineering as a potential source for jobs. Shipping companies, dock management firms and other participants in marine life need to contend with multiple issues when dealing with renewable energy standards. The presence of water quality standards, marine wildlife programs and concerns over fuel usage by shipping companies contributes to a complex regulatory network. Marine engineers, lawyers and others with knowledge of these issues as well as a penchant for creative solutions can find a plethora of renewable energy jobs immediately.
The key to finding renewable energy jobs is an expansion of the imagination. A rise in renewable energy has come from a concern with environmental protection, conservation of resources and business expenses due to outdated fuel sources. Professionals who want work in the area of renewable energy just need to think of the hundreds of professions that these concerns overlap as they apply for work.
