Environmental Sustainability

Options with a degree in Environmental Sustainability

A degree in Environmental Sustainability equips you with a wide range of skills and knowledge that are applicable across many sectors. It is a diverse degree which allows you to explore the relationship between individuals and their environment, focusing on the sustainable use of natural resources. As a student of Environmental Sustainability, you build your transferable skills through your studies which you can leverage across different career paths.

These skills, along with other factors of career choice – what you like doing (your interests), what’s important to you (your values) and your personality type – will help you make informed career decisions. Remember that your career may be based on the skills you’ve gained over the course of your degree studies.

Some career options with an Environmental Sustainability degree are:

Sustainability skills and environmental awareness is a priority in many organisations. As businesses ready themselves to adhere to new environmental legislation, new roles and opportunities for Environmental Sustainability graduates may emerge.

You can find out more about these and other roles on Prospects – Job profiles by sector.

To help you explore the wide range of career options open to you have a look at Prospects what can I do with my degree? and take the Prospects Career Planner Quiz.

There are many different disciplines within environmental careers please see a list of the main sectors and links to assist with your careers research.

 

Conservation and Energy

Primarily concerned with preserving and protecting the natural environment, this sector benefits from relevant voluntary experience.

To investigate the current issues in conservation and ecology, visit the following websites:

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a growing area for businesses, both large and small, with many choosing to focus on sustainability.

To find out more about the current issues and considerations in corporate sustainability, visit the following links:

  • Sustainability Exchange – download the EAUC Sustainability Careers Guide and watch the webinars
  • Trucost – an organisation that uses data to identify environmental risk and opportunity across company operations, supply chain and investment portfolios
  • SustainAbility – a think tank and advisory firm encouraging sustainability
  • Scientists for Global Responsibility – independent UK-based promoter of science, design and technology to achieve sustainability

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Environmental Management and Assessment

Environmental management is concerned with the interaction of impact of human societies on the environment.

Environmental managers are responsible for overseeing the environmental performance of private, public and voluntary sector organisations. This has a significant overlap with CSR, where the focus is sustainability.

To investigate further, visit the following websites:

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Land Management and Agriculture

The management of land and its agricultural usage has a significant impact on our environment. It is a rapidly changing industry with new developments such as precision land management, involving technology such as satellite positioning and farm management software.

To find out more about the future of the industry, visit these websites:

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Law and Legislation

There is a significant amount of legislation involved in managing the human impact on the environment.

There is also a growing legal focus on subjects such as corporate and social responsibility (CSR), emissions relating to climate change and sources of energy, e.g. the controversy around fracking.

To investigate environmental law further, look at these websites:

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Recycling and Waste Management

The Energy and Utilities Skills Group described waste management as ‘one of the most exciting, quickly evolving industries in the UK.

New developments and discoveries are being made all the time to help turn waste into valuable resources such as power and raw materials.

To find out more about current issues in waste management recycling, visit:

Careers in this sub-sector include waste management officer and recycling officer.

 

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

For more information on the renewables industry in the UK, visit the following websites:

Careers in this sub-sector include:

 

Additional Useful Resources to help with your Careers Research

 

Volunteering Locally 

If you are interested in gaining some voluntary experience locally you may find the following websites helpful

Looking to make the most of your volunteering? Why not sign up for the Dundee Plus Award which helps you reflect on and develop your employability skills. It even gives you evidence to add to your CV.

Internships & Work Experience Searching 

Sometimes, making a speculative application may be the way to get that work placement or internship that you want. If you’d like to talk through how to approach a potential employer, feel free to contact the Careers Service.

 

Finding a Graduate Job

Environment & Sustainability

  • Acre – comprehensive range of jobs in the energy, environment and sustainability sector, mostly in the UK and Europe
  • ConservationJobs – for conservation careers in the UK and worldwide
  • CountrysideJobs – UK-based positions in countryside management and conservation
  • ENDS job search – jobs in environmental, ecology, conservation, wind energy and sustainability, mainly in the UK
  • Environmentjob – a range of environmentally related vacancies in the UK and abroad
  • Env.Careers – advice on building an environmental career as well as global job listings
  • GreenJobs – a listing of ‘green jobs’ in the UK ranging from environmental consultants to natural resource management, including specific sites for Renewable Energy Jobs, Solar Jobs, Water Jobs and Wind Jobs
  • Guardian Jobs – Environment – a selection of environmentally related positions in the UK
  • Lantra – land-based and environmental sector opportunities in the UK
  • enviroment jobs – a wide range of ‘green jobs’ in the UK and abroad
  • IEMAJobs – a range of Environmental and Sustainability roles

 

General Job Searching Sites for Graduates – All Disciplines 

The following websites may be helpful to search the wider job market, where your transferable skills can be applied.

 

Graduate Schemes

Many leading UK employers across all industries run graduate training programmes, to discover the benefits of these schemes and how you apply the links below will help: