Green Careers in the Peak District
Green Careers
A green career is a job, or series of jobs, that contribute to improving the natural environment and addressing climate change.
Welcome to the Ambassador Schools Green Careers Page.
What is a Green Career?
“Green Careers” include a range of different types of work across many different sectors, with both indoor- and outdoor-based jobs. At the moment, a Green Career usually refers to a job (or series of jobs) which specifically focuses on improving the natural environment and/or addressing climate change.
However, as the need to protect our environment and address climate change becomes a higher priority, soon every career in every sector will have to consider the impact of that work on the environment. It is predicted that this growing need will also result in many new green jobs being developed over the coming years, and that there will be an increased demand for people with green skills.
Why choose a green career?
A green career can be incredibly rewarding, allowing you to follow your passion and giving a purpose to your everyday work. It gives you an opportunity to be part of the solution to addressing climate change, tackling biodiversity loss, contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and many other environmental challenges.
- You will be part of the solution, making a positive contribution to the natural environment
- Protecting and supporting the environment gives meaning and purpose to your day-to-day role
- You can connect to your passion every day of the week (not just at weekends!)
- It is the future! Green jobs are here to stay
- People with green skills are increasingly in demand – across all sectors and all parts of the economy
How to Get Started
There are lots of different routes into green careers, and you can read about some of these in our case studies (see link below). Getting a degree in a relevant subject is definitely not the only route, vocational learning is often more practical and provides invaluable hands-on experience. The route you choose is a very individual decision and will depend on your own circumstances and preferred ways of learning.
But if you are following your passion you may well have started your journey to a green career already. If you love the outdoors and already spend time in activities such as camping, walking, cycling, bird watching or taking part in citizen science projects such as National Parks UK Look Wild you are well on the way!
Next steps could include volunteering, joining a Junior Ranger group or your school’s Eco Committee, or looking for suitable work experience placements. Increasingly, many environmental organisations are providing paid traineeships.
On our website we’ve focused on information about green careers in protected landscapes, such as National Parks. Broader information about green careers can be found here: Lantra, Green Jobs for Nature, Green Careers Hub and National Careers Service.
Another good way of understanding the range of available roles is to look at current jobs on offer, for example those that are advertised on Countryside Jobs Service (CJS) and Environment Job. Both of these sites also advertise a variety of volunteer opportunities, and CJS has an excellent information section with lots of really useful information and resources for anyone seeking to pursue a green career.
Green Careers Case Studies
We’ve compiled a series of case studies featuring just a few of the many different green careers in the Peak District National Park. Each page includes an overview of the role, expected salary, any qualifications needed for the job, and a description of a typical day. You’ll also find links to additional sources of information for each type of role. We hope you find these resources helpful!
File to download: Peak District Green Career Case Studies (3.6 MB)