Sustainable Jobs: What Opportunities are There for People Coming Out of the Armed Forces?

The public is growing increasingly aware of the environmental crisis we are facing and the responsibility we have to control our future and slow down the progression of climate change. As a result of this, more people are looking for a career in a sustainable role. Finding a job like this, which is within the area you are interested in, is not easy. For workers before us, they would take whatever job they got without thinking about their ethical or personal opinions.

But what is the situation for people coming out of the armed forces in 2020? Maybe they want to go into higher education, or maybe they want to go and get a job. With more people choosing degrees based on sustainability and environmental welfare, we look to see if this has made more job opportunities for more sustainable jobs.

What opportunities are out there?

When researching jobs in sustainability, you will realise that there is more available then you may have thought. In fact, Indeed found 44 full-time jobs and 25 part-time jobs currently available in sustainability. Not only that, 74 permanent jobs roles were also found, leaving plenty of opportunities open to fill.

But what kind of jobs are there in sustainability? Depending on what career path you have your mind set on, finding the ideal job to match with this is no easy decision to make. Luckily, there are many different job roles for you to ponder between.

A possible job you could get could be sustainability consultancy. These consultants take responsibility over devising plans and strategies for companies to use to help improve how sustainable and environmentally efficient they are, augmenting the social responsibility businesses take over their everyday practices and operations, including their plastic recycling.

If you want to have a bigger impact on our climate, you could get a job as a climate change analyst. At a glance, their main job role involves researching and analysing developments that are being made to help tackle climate change. The ultimate objective of this job is to suggest policies and practices that should be legislated to help prevent climate change and create campaigns to promote these ideas to wider society.

Environmental specialists also have a responsibility to protect the climate but in a different way. Their main job role is to conduct research into the different types of pollutants or hazards that are negatively impacting our planet and develop strategies to help eliminate them.

Common jobs you may already know also protect the environment but indirectly. A career in graphic design for example. This involves designing and creating elements such as packaging, promotional materials, displays, or even logos. Although not immediately seeming like a sustainable job, graphic designers play a central role in creating innovative business materials and techniques that are environmentally friendly and sustainable to maintain without harming the environment.

As more of society get concerned about the impact they are having on the environment and the planet they are going to leave behind, businesses need to make more of an impact with their sustainability. With, the need for sustainable job roles to be fulfilled is becoming increasingly important.

What about an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a great way to get into the world of work while still learning and getting an official qualification at the end, helping you further progress in your chosen career. Although not a common industry to look for an apprenticeship in, these are becoming increasingly popular within sustainable job roles.

Since 2019, there has been a Level 6 Environmental Practitioner degree apprenticeship course available to the public. This was the first-degree apprenticeship in the environmental sector to take off. The aim of this apprenticeship was to help broaden the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of those wanting a career in the environmental sector by teaching apprentices the environmental principles and techniques to different systems and all aspects which this entails.

There are other apprenticeships and trainee schemes that are available to you depending on what your interests are. Some include Level 5 construction management in sustainability, trainee environmental practitioner degrees, and health, safety, and sustainability apprentice programs.

Whatever career path you go down, an apprenticeship can be a great way to get into the sustainable jobs sector.

What’s the money like?

Even though you are trying to gain a career in sustainability and you support the movement on sustainability, making sure that you’re earning a big enough salary to live off is also a priority. We’ve scoured Indeed and discovered the average salary of those working within this industry is £40,323 — more than enough to comfortably set up a life with!

Further research found that people that are just starting their careers in a job such as sustainability consultancy get a starting salary of around £25,000 per year and increase to around £60,000 for senior consultants. As for climate change analysts, the average salary in the UK is £36,000 and can increase up to £60,000.

So, why don’t you start looking for your perfect job in the sustainability sector now? For people leaving the armed forces wanting to turn their concern for the environment into a full-time career, there are many jobs out there to satisfy just that.