TALLAHASSEE –As graduation approaches, students are still searching for jobs in these hard economic times. In efforts to Go Green, companies have come up with plans to incorporate being green into their initiatives.
The Obama- Biden administration has created a comprehensive energy plan scheduled to take effect by 2012.
Not only are green jobs for students in science related majors, but green jobs are being offered in various fields of work.
www.sustainablebusiness.com, www.greenbiz.com, and other sites such as www.greenjobs.net offer ways to post your resumes, cover letters, and other information to market yourself to find green jobs.
In addition, construction and developmental companies have implemented green effects into their business plans.
Kristin Dozier is Green Building Advisor and Vice President of Mad Dog Design and Construction Company.
“Mad Dog Design and Construction Company is a local family owned business that has always been green,” said Dozier. “Our company has always used green lighting efficiency in the homes we’ve worked on since the late 80s.”
Dozier graduated with her bachelor’s degree in religious ethics and philosophy not knowing that she would become a green building advisor.
“I was always interested in green efficiency,” Dozier said. “I picked it up as I learned more about it and once we saw that people were becoming interested in a green economy again we decided to make it one of our focuses.”
Dozier was also on the FAMU Green Career Plan for this years Focus the Nation Teach-In.
Other local businesses have contributed to the green economy.
Mike Rogers of Rogers Developments and contributor to the FAMU Green Coalition has built green homes in the Southern Oaks community. Each home was built to the Florida Green Building Coalition standard.
These are the types of green jobs that students in the FAMU Green Coalition see as important in making a difference in the fight against global warming,” said Dr. LaRae Donnellan, adviser of the coalition. “The coalition is dedicated to learning more about glabal warming, taking action to bring about change, and preparing rattlers to assume leadership roles in the new economy.”
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers only 51.2 percent of college students have a job offer upon graduation.
“Because of companies budget cuts, employers are laying off people that are new to the company like college graduates,” said Tiffany Armstrong, a recent graduate of FAMU from Jacksonville.
Armstrong also feels that there could possible be hope for upcoming graduates.
“Maybe now that president Obama has expected to create jobs to advocate environmental sustainability there will be more career opportunities for graduates to take employment,” she added.