Popular Environmental Careers

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATORS AND EDUCATORS
In recent years, the nation has seen a noticeable shift in environmental problem solving, away from a preference for secrecy, adversarial relationships, and litigation, and toward greater openness and a search for common ground. Regulators depend on education as much as they do on enforcement. Non-profit leaders meet with corporate executives. "Right-To-Know" laws require polluters to make available information that would have been carefully guarded just a few years ago. And institutions of all stripes seek to influence the hearts and minds of the general public.

The freer flow of information, and the desire for more voluntary actions, creates opportunities for communicators and educators who can help translate scientific and technical issues for the general public, and for those who can create venues (e.g., meetings, conferences, public hearings, and community gathering) for an open exchange of opinions. Progressive land developers, for instance, now engage local governments and community residents in open dialogue long before approaching formal boards for permit approvals.

Simultaneously, the rapid growth in environmental information creates a pressing need for professionals to stay up-to-date. Continuing education is critical for success, and this has created opportunities for educators who provide rapidly changing seminars, workshops, short courses, safety trainings, and other learning opportunities.

Carrers in Finance

Interested in a job in finance? Employment in theis area is projected to grow 10.5 percent over the 2004-14 period. Real estate and rental and leasing is expected to grow by 16,9 percent and add 353,000 jobs by 2014. Growth will be due, in part, to increased demand for housing as the population grows. The fastest growing industry in the financial activities supersector will be activities related to real estate, which will grow by 32.1 percent, reflecting the housing boom that persists throughout most of the Nation.

Finance and insurance is expected to increase by 496,000 jobs, or 8.3 percent, by 2014. Employment in securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities is expected to grow 15.8 percent by 2014, reflecting the increased number of baby boomers in their peak savings years, the growth of tax-favorable retirement plans, and the globalization of the securities markets. Employment in credit intermediation and related services, including banks, will grow by 5.4 percent and add about one-third of all new jobs within finance and insurance. Insurance carriers and related activities is expected to grow by 9.5 percent and add 215,000 new jobs by 2014. The number of jobs within agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities is expected to grow about 19.4 percent, as many insurance carriers downsize their sales staffs and as agents set up their own businesses.