“Green” Careers: The Wave of the Future

Construction is an industry with cyclical demand for jobs but now is a great time for construction workers looking for jobs due to the growing green movement and wealth of new job opportunities created. In construction, this means that people are needed to design and construct buildings that are energy-efficient and healthy for the environment.

Dropping Construction Unemployment Rate: Good for the Industry?

The construction unemployment rate is dropping, reaching numbers in August of 2014 that were the lowest since 2007. This may sound like good news, but it is the result of large amounts of skilled workers leaving the industry. Many construction firms are now having trouble finding skilled people for positions. This is likely in part because people are moving away from the trades as 4-year college degrees gain in popularity.

What is Green Construction?

Despite the trend of people leaving construction, now is actually a great time to get into the construction industry. The "green" movement is growing rapidly, and many companies and individuals are trying to reduce their ecological footprint. How exactly does this impact construction? A lot of construction firms are building using "green" practices to keep up with this trend. Building "green" means making buildings that are energy-efficient and sustainable. Green buildings are designed to reduce pollution, making them better for the environment, and they are also healthier for the people living or working in them.

Job Opportunities in Green Building

Many modern buildings are installed with solar panels and other energy-saving implementations, and skilled construction workers are needed to design and build these structures. In the future, the number of people who want to live and work in a green building will only grow. The growing popularity of solar panels as well as wind power contributed to thousands of new jobs being created in 2014. Jobs in the construction industry will continue to be created as the desire for green buildings increases and companies compete with one another to be able to say they are the "greenest." Learning about green construction gives you a specialized skill that makes you valuable to construction firms.



The future of green building is bright, and while some people are leaving the construction industry, now is a great time to be in it and fill these gaps. If you’re looking to learn a new niche, you should get in on the opportunities associated with green construction.