Green Occupations: New Official Descriptions Announced By O*net

Recently the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) unveiled a new set of occupations that gives credence to the idea that the green economy is transforming the world of careers.

This centralized collection of green occupations is a tremendous step forward for job seekers, career changers, and career counselors. For the first time there is a place to explore green occupations, and obtain detailed descriptions about what it takes to work in those occupations.

In this article I give you an overview of where to go to explore these green occupations. Be sure to read to the end of this article for a few caveats.

O*NET Web Site Tabs - Where to Find What You Are Looking For

The O*NET site now has a section designed to describe the green economy. Use these descriptions to find your way around the site quickly and easily.

Green Sectors http://www.onetcenter.org/green.html

The first tab on the site takes you to a list of twelve green sectors. Click on each sector name to read a short description of the sector.

Green Occupations http://www.onetcenter.org/green.html?p=2

The second tab offers three different lists of green occupations.

1. Green Increased Demand Occupations. This list shows existing occupations that are experiencing an increased demand due to the shifts of the green economy. The tasks associated with these occupations are unchanged. Sixty-four occupations are included in this list.

2. Green Enhanced Skills Occupations. The occupations in this list have existed in the past, but now require new skills, education, and tasks to fulfill the needs of the green economy. Sixty positions are included in this list.

3. Green New and Emerging (N&E) Occupations. The occupations listed in this list are new and have not been included in O*NET's collection of occupations in the past. Forty-five of the jobs in this list have been researched and an additional 45 are in the process of being researched.

Online Activities http://www.onetcenter.org/green.html?p=3

O*NET is continuing their efforts to expand and strengthen the list of green occupations. Watch for more information as the impact of the green economy becomes clearer.

Online Search http://www.onetcenter.org/green.html?p=4

Drill down in your favorite sector to find specific job titles relevant to that sector. For each job title you'll find a brief description of the occupation and a sampling of job titles. Below that you'll see an array of data that describes what is required to work in this occupation. You can view the data in three views: Summary, Details, or Custom. The data ranges from tasks and tools, to knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Caveats to Keep in Mind as You Work With the O*NET Web Site

As exciting as it is to see official occupation descriptions available online, it's important to remember that these lists are not the final story.

- The twelve sectors listed by O*NET are not the only sectors and industries impacted by the green economy. - As I scanned the job titles included on the lists of green occupations, I noticed that the vast majority of occupations are of a technical, scientific, and trade nature. These occupations describe green jobs that have a direct impact on the environment. What these lists of occupations don't fully describe at this point are jobs that have an indirect impact on the environment. Though these jobs are non-technical in nature, they play an important role in shaping the green economy.