What Can You Do With a Sustainability Degree?

Florida Tech February 24, 2016

What can you do with a sustainability degree? Pete explores the possible career opportunities for students majoring in sustainability in today’s installment of “What can I do with THAT degree?”

I get it, you want to save the world. Whether it’s in the form of leading a company in environmentally-friendly practices, engineering more efficient ways to dispose of waste or fighting the good fight out there on the front lines, you want to make the world a greener place. As 6-foot-tall panther that lives in a jungle, I can safely say I approve of your career choice. But what careers are out there for a person life you? What can you do with a sustainability degree?

Well, a lot actually – and in a a variety of different fields too. Let’s start with organizational management…

These days, many companies employ high-level positions dedicated specially to environment-friendly practices. Just some of these titles include chief sustainability officer, environmental vice president, and director of corporate responsibility. What the people in these positions have the power to do is directly influence the choices a company makes, from its basic operations to the product it sells, ensuring that the organization is not negatively affecting the world in which we live.

Sustainability careers in business aren’t just limited to high-level positions. There are many other places in a company were a sustainability graduate can fit in. For example, recycling coordinators mastermind recycling programs for governments as well as private businesses. These days, most companies recycle many of their materials like paper, chemicals, and scrap metal used in production and operations, meaning there needs to be someone there to oversee the recycling of these items is done properly and efficiently. Another example of a non-management business sustainability career is an energy auditor, or someone who helps prevent energy waste by inspecting buildings and advising customers on how to better conserve their energy.

A sustainability degree also opens up a whole chest of possible careers in the field of science. For example, conservation scientists specialize in managing the use and development of the world’s natural resources. While some work to conserve these natural resources, other conservation scientists advise landowners on the operations of their land, even designing and putting in place programs that make the land healthier and more productive.

So, should you choose to pursue a sustainability degree, there are many different outlets out there for you to sink your teeth into. No longer should you be asking yourself, “What can you do with a sustainability degree?” but, “How will I save the world with my sustainability degree?”

What are you waiting for?!