Environmental Roles and Work Areas

Environmental roles are some of the most diverse,rewarding and stable in which to work.

Working in an environmental role provides the satisfaction over and above some other careers as practitioners are actively contributing and making a difference to the environment in which we live and work. According to a survey conducted by IEMA in June 2011, 88% of people that had moved into an environmental role from another sector experience high levels of job satisfaction.

Employment in environmental practitioner roles has proved to be relatively stable in recent years compared to the rest of the economy, with only 2.3% stating that they are unemployed according to an IEMA 2011 survey.

Feedback from recruitment companies indicates that:

• There has been an increase in demand for experienced environmental practitioners to work within organizations, especially people with the commercial ability to oversee projects from conception to completion and manage internal stakeholders. and opportunity.
• There has been a marked increase in hiring for senior roles (£70,000+), requiring strategic decision-making experience and ability. Recruiters expect to see a continued demand for such individuals as companies respond to the challenges and the opportunities.
• Where there are green shoots of growth in manufacturing, there is a pick-up in job opportunities for sustainable and environmental practitioners with compliance experience
• There is strong demand from organisations for waste management professionals
• There has been an increase in demand for environmental and sustainable practitioners in manufacturing, particularly in high-tech industries, such as composite materials.

Current work areas within the environment are included in the table below, with typical job roles and responsibilities listed on Roles and Responsibilities in the Environment.