Does this situation sound familiar? Fear not! Much of the economic instability right now is a result of unsustainable business practices. So what's the fix? Sustainable business practices, of course!
"In a world beset by economic woes as well as environmental problems— from the scarcity of natural resources to climate change—sustainability represents one of the few potential bright spots in an otherwise dismal recruiting environment." - Francesca Di Meglio, MBA Programs Go Green, BusinessWeek
So how does one join the new "green economy" after graduating?
For graduate students, register for the 2009 Sustainable Business Career Fair this Friday, January 23. It will be hosted by UNC's Center for Sustainable Enterprise and Duke's Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. Everyone from GE to Trinity Design/Build to Latino Community Credit Union will have recruiters present. For more information, visit http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/KI/cse/careerfair.cfm
For undergraduates, consider how your degree and professional skills can be used to advance sustainable practices, policies, or technologies. A few options:
- If you have been active at UNC and are interested in continuing to work towards sustainability in higher education, check out the job postings in the AASHE Bulletin (http://www.aashe.org/resources/bulletin-archives.php).
- If you are looking at persuing an MBA, check out the MBA Programs Go Green article in BusinessWeek (http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/jan2009/bs20090119_936863.htm).
- If you are not a member of the UNC Sustainability listserv, join! Local, regional, and national job postings are regularly sent to our listserv members.
- Finally, just remember that almost any profession can support sustainability. Whether you are in marketing, journalism, education, chemistry, astonomy, or international studies, there are a plethora of opportunities out there.
-Brian Cain, Research & Outreach Manager, UNC Sustainability Office
