A2X Consulting

If you are passionate about the environment and want to make a career out of it, there are lots of possibilities. The current administration has been investing in the growth of the green job industry over the past few years. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), included provisions for new jobs in industries such as energy, utilities, manufacturing and construction. Last March, President Obama appointed a Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The Special Advisor, Van Jones, has since resigned but there is no shortage for opportunities in this growing field. Just Google green jobs and you will find a plethora of career sites listing positions and resources. How do you break into the industry with little or no experience? One excellent foray into the green jobs industry is to start with an internship. An internship is an excellent way to gain experience in a new field while making new contacts. Many interns go on to land permanent positions at the companies they interned at. Internships are numerous and varied. They can be paid or unpaid, summer or year-around and they are offered in most industries. A new website, InternProgram360.com, offers lots of resources for interns from the search process through the duration of the internship. It is worth visiting. The site is a complete resource for helping people find internships, local and international. They assist through every stage of the process and are focused on helping interns succeed. A green internship is an effective way to enter this booming industry. Be sure to see the article on how to write an effective cover letter for an internship.