It is no surprise that the world’s environment is constantly changing; we hear and see it on a daily basis. This may seem like a hopeless situation—stuck in an age where all news seems to put on blast how screwed we are—but it opens up more opportunities for climate jobs and ways to change our environment for the better.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, students and faculty gathered for the first College to Climate meeting. The topic: “How to Find a Job in Climate Tech and Sustainability.” The Center for Career Education welcomed two of the co-founders of the College to Climate organization, Jessica Harrington, who graduated from Temple University in 2020, and Larsen Burack, who graduated from Elon University in 2023. They started off the presentation by sharing how they became interested in focusing on the climate as a possible career path. In this process, they both faced the same issue: What exactly would that job be? The founders of this organization shared the struggle of not knowing how to get involved in climate-related professions due to the lack of resources and connections for finding what fit their ideals.
I am sure many of us can relate to this feeling, whether or not we consider going into sustainability as a career. It is easy to know your general interests, but finding jobs or internships that relate to those interests may appear daunting or, at times, even unattainable. This is why Burack connected with other students across multiple universities to host virtual meet-ups for climate professionals to share their experiences. In doing so, a small group of students quickly became a national organization, officially in 2023, helping thousands across the globe find climate jobs.
But what exactly are climate jobs? Harrington and Burack share that climate jobs are any that help address the issue of climate change. In this sense, “climate” becomes a genre of jobs rather than an industry, opening up countless opportunities to apply your passions in developing significant change. The co-founders stressed that climate jobs are all-inclusive and that there is no “right” path for getting a job in climate and sustainability. Professionals come from all types of backgrounds and majors; one is not better than the other and each has their strengths. For those seeking jobs in the field, Harrington and Burack shared, there are seven main verticals of climate: energy, food and land use, transportation, infrastructure, carbon, climate management and industry. Among these sectors, there are many ways to get involved; whether this is through engineering, climate research, consulting, analyst work, policymaking or journalism, the speakers iterated that there are opportunities out there waiting for you. Burack and Harrington then shared resources for students to find possible opportunities in climate and sustainability, one of which was ClimateTechList, a website with an extensive range of all open jobs and internship opportunities in climate-related fields across the world. Eve Escobar ‘28, an attendee, states that “It’s hard to find internships close to where I live, so being introduced to a resource like this is a game changer”. The co-founders also highlighted the importance of reaching out and utilizing LinkedIn. Many jobs are on the hidden job market, which are openings that are unadvertised and only granted to those who reach out. It may seem intimidating to start a conversation or ask for opportunities from people you do not know, but it is worth it. Even if you do not secure a position, it is valuable to ask about the path an individual with your dream career took to get there. Build connections. Seek opportunities. Know that under the surface of the discouraging job market, there are hundreds of ways to step closer to your goals.