Clean Technology Areas Offer Jobs Despite Recession

Those affected by the current economic downturn will be happy to know that clean and green technology areas continue to offer jobs to qualified people. Environmental concerns have driven more multinationals such as Ericsson to offer advanced clean-energy products that can create a sustainable environment for all. Green technology-related business models are becoming popular because they promise competitive returns for investors and address the current global challenges.

The good news is that these jobs are not only meant for new entrees in the industry, but they also encourage mid-career and late-career job changers to take up new work. When thinking about 'green jobs' a person typically thinks about jobs related to growing trees or something similar. But these job opportunities are available for a wide range of professionals including, but not limited to, electricians, secretaries, plumbers and more. This means a person equipped with any skill set can jump on the 'green' bandwagon for jobs and careers.

The government is also supporting organizations that are focusing on clean-technology. Many cities around the world, like San Francisco, are also making efforts to become a center of clean-technology. Many organizations are also undertaking studies to find out the potential for clean energy and related technologies to create jobs in different countries and cities.

'Green' Job Opportunities

A number of infrastructure projects involving clean energy are in the pipeline in both China and India. The coming decade will see construction focused on green technology and attract architects and professionals who have a similar mindset. Architects and contractors will also have more opportunities in projects related to retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency.

The recycling and waste management sectors will also flourish and create a number of jobs. We all know how limited our resources are and, thus, recently a lot of discussion and focus has been on resources conservation and recycling. One can see a number of units springing up in many cities dedicated to the management of e-waste. As people and governments become more conscious in the years to come, you will see more jobs in the areas of recycling and the safe disposal of hazardous substances. Experts who can safely dispose of chemicals, gases and solids will be in great demand in the future. Energy conservation is also going to offer many green jobs in the coming decade.

More jobs in the field of "green technology" will result due to further research on various techniques for saving non-toxic products amongst others. Many people think this field will revolutionize the job scene in the same way that information technology did over the last 20 years. This field is going to be very wide and, thus, it is not easy to predict just how many jobs will be created in the future. But the future looks very promising as engineers worldwide aim to reach a number of common goals. They want to create sustainable solutions that can address the various needs of the society without causing the damage or destruction of natural resources. All their efforts are towards creating products that can be either fully reclaimed or re-used. Scientists are also researching ways to lower waste and pollution by bringing relevant changes in patterns of production and consumption.

By innovating technologies, these researchers and engineers will create numerous economic activities and new careers that protect our mother earth. Some think that scientists must get their acts together to urgently develop alternative fuels, which can generate energy and enhance energy efficiency. They must advise architects on choosing environmentally friendly building materials and helping them pick the right place to erect buildings. The state should also step in and encourage or mandate the usage of products that don't harm the environment. The emphasis should also be made on green chemistry that involves creating chemical products to cut or completely eliminate the use and manufacturing of harmful substances. Nanotechnology is another up-and-coming field that involves manipulating materials at the scale of a nanometer, transforming the way things in the world are manufactured.

'Green' Jobs in Southeast Asia

South Korea has decided to invest around 107 trillion won (US$85 billion) on industries focused on green initiatives. The nation will invest the funds gradually over the next five years and hopes renewable energy and environmentally friendly projects will create 1.8 million new jobs in the country. According to President Lee Myung-bak, this move has been made to give relief to people affected by the ongoing economic slump. His dream for the country is to make South Korea the seventh most competitive country in the world by 2020 in terms of energy efficiency and ability to adapt to climate change.

Over the next five years, the government will aid in the set up of renewable energy projects including carbon credit trading, biofuel, wind power and more. The government will also support research and development in green areas and grant loans to bodies taking on relevant initiatives. South Korea will also offer tax incentives to small and medium-sized companies developing green technologies.

Taiwan is another country that is investing more money in the development of green technologies. In August, the government announced plans to pump a staggering T$45 billion (US$1.42 billion) in their domestic renewable energy sector. This investment is hoped to give a much needed boost to the island's renewable energy sector and is expected to make it grow eight-fold by 2015. Taiwan's Premier Liu Chao-shiuan said in a statement that they have great expectations from their green energy sector and are confident in its ability to make Taiwan a major power in energy technology and production. He also pointed out that this investment will also create a number of green jobs. This announcement follows a recent renewable energy act that promotes the use of renewable energy in Taiwan. The new law also boosts energy diversification and aims to reduce greenhouse gases.

The Taiwanese government will also provide more incentives for organizations trying to develop renewable energy in a bid to increase their renewable energy generation capacity to 10 million kilowatts in the next 20 years. In addition, the government is currently designing a "low carbon island" action model project that will enable half of Taiwan's energy to be derived from renewable energy sources. This model will not only lower the carbon emissions, but will also put Taiwan on par with countries boasting high carbon emissions-saving capabilities.

This announcement and the expected benefits have attracted many companies in Taiwan to enter the renewables sector and ultimately create more jobs for the island's people. Recent Dow Jones news also informs about the agreement between wind energy associations of Taiwan and China. Both nations have signed a letter of intent allowing Taiwanese firms to enter the fast-growing wind power market of China. The World Wind Energy Association has named China the world's fourth-largest wind power base based on installed capacity. China won this designation by increasing its installed wind power capacity in 2008 to 12.21 gigawatts.

It seems the ongoing economic downturn has not impacted China, and according to a recent report by the Climate Group, the nation has developed and commercialized a variety of low carbon technologies. The government has many ambitious 'green' plans and has supported entrepreneurs in the manufacturing of products including solar panels, wind turbines and energy efficient devices. China is also very keen on collaborating with foreign organizations sharing a similar vision. The government also plans to invest in new industries such as geothermal power. They recently announced a 4 trillion Yuan (US$585 billion) stimulus package for green initiatives and introduced a number of laws and policies to facilitate the uptake of low carbon technologies.

The report also shows that 30 percent of the world's solar PV technology is supplied by China and they are also the largest wind power generator in Asia. India has also decided to develop its own environmentally friendly technologies according to Krittivas Mukherjee from Reuters. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stressed the importance of following a sustainable growth strategy and expressed the nation's willingness to put in more money to develop clean technologies. India's energy consumption is expected to increase in the coming decades and, thus, they need to invest in new environmentally friendly technologies.

Those interested in building careers in energy conservation should prepare themselves for this lucrative field. Each day brings new opportunities with new investments in different Asian countries.  Those interested in finding jobs in energy conservation may think about completing college degrees and doing further research. You may not have to attend a brick and mortar college program, thanks to the various online programs on energy conservation. Colleges and universities are responding to the changing business environment and now offer more diverse programs that address the needs of students. Attending training programs related to increasing energy efficiency may also help you get that job in this up-and-coming industry.