Original article by Diana McLaren, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
February 14, 2008

Many in-demand jobs today are flexible and multidisciplinary in nature, requiring diverse backgrounds ranging from economics to law. The diversity in the types of jobs in the environmental field means that you don’t necessarily need to be a scientist, but you do need to be a team player and an effective communicator.

Grant Trump, President and CEO of ECO Canada says the opportunities offered in the environmental sector are exploding. There are currently 530,000 jobs in Canada that are related to the environment and job growth is projected at 8.8% over the next five years.

Kaitlyn Mitchell, 24, is one of a growing number of people in various fields who are taking advantage of all the opportunities. It wasn’t until she was in her second year of a law degree that Mitchell found out that environmental law was even a practice option. She recently graduated with a degree in religious and justice studies and was offered a position articling at the Canadian Environmental Law Association in Toronto. She is now pursuing a career in public interest environmental law.

Kate Holloway, 39, is another example of the winding route that many have taken to get to environmental work. Holloway has an undergraduate degree in Celtic Studies and an MBA in management. While at university, she was unaware that environmental courses existed. Today, she’s a partner in a company called CarbonZero that offers carbon offsets at $22 a tonne. To get into the environmental field, Holloway networked at environmental conferences and took courses and workshops.

Michael Gerbis, President of the Delphi Group, is one of a number of employers who are now looking for individuals who have more than just a good education and a technical background. Gerbis says he wants potential employees who are willing to learn and are good communicators.

To read the full article by Diana McLaren, click here.