State of the green economy by Aman Singh of the Vault.com

Last year, California reported that green jobs grew by 5 percent between 2007 and 2008, while total jobs declined by 1 percent. A report by Collaborative Economics for Next 10, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit, studied the state’s “core green economy” and determined that the number of green companies grew 45 percent between 1995 and 2008, simultaneously increasing jobs in renewables, energy efficiency and clean tech by as much as 36 percent.

Even more interesting: While a majority of these jobs existed before the recession, new positions such as energy auditors, solar panel installers and energy efficiency experts were created as well. And it’s not all blue collar either. According to the report, service-based green jobs, such as environmental consulting, made up 45 percent of green employment, while manufacturing, focused in energy efficiency and energy generation, accounted for another 21 percent.

These statistics from years when job growth was minimal across the country are encouraging if not downright uplifting. Chris Russell, who is the man behind job search sites like greenjobspider.com spoke to Vault recently on why “green” is the next great job market:

1. The private sector views the clean energy economy as a significant opportunity. Venture capital investment in clean technology reached a total of about $12.6 billion by the end of 2008. In 2008 alone, investors directed $5.9 billion into American businesses in this sector, a 48% increase over 2007 investment totals.

2. The U.S. government has invested 80 billion dollars for research and development of clean energy technology.

3. Legislation in certain states is being passed to require a certain percentage of renewable energy use.

4. Bloom Energy, a Silicon Valley fuel cell start-up has received $400 million in VC funds. When is the last time a start-up got that much cash?

5. The country has never been more energy conscious than it is today. People want to save money by being more energy efficient.

6. The number of jobs in America’s emerging clean energy economy grew nearly two-and-a-half times faster than overall jobs between 1998 and 2007.

7. The U.S. will eventually adopt a national standard mandating that we use renewable energy.

Links

http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/blogs/entry-detail/?blog_id=1462&entry_id=11060

http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/blogs/entry-detail/?blog_id=1462&entry_id=10582

http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/blogs/entry-detail/?blog_id=1462&entry_id=10529

Thank you

Aman Singh, Vault.com Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Editor

Receive a professionally designed custom resume for less than gassing up your car. Click here to learn more http://bit.ly/9jn5IC

Federal employment – perspective from the inside

Today, a career in federal employment can be highly desirable.  Salary and benefit packages with the fed often significantly outperform private sector counterparts, and the peace of mind that comes with job stability is hard to ignore.  In the 90s, the federal government had difficulty competing with the lucrative possibilities in the private sector.  But today….oh how times have changed!

Career example:  Immigration Services Officer.  Immigration Services Officers (ISOs) work for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and handle benefit applications for aliens applying for green cards, business trying to hire foreign workers, aliens seeking employment authorization to work in the United States and other immigration related issues.  This work is generally done from an office where the ISO will interview prospective aliens or in some cases adjudicate applications from their desk based on mailed in paperwork.  This position generally requires a 4 year college degree as the minimum requirement, and starting grades are at the GS 5 ($34, 881) or GS 7 ($43,208) level.  While the starting salary is not attractive, this job, like many government positions, offers non-competitive aka guaranteed yearly promotions to the GS 12 level.  A GS-7 who starts today at $43,208 will be promoted to GS 9 after one year ($52,850), GS 11 after the second year ($63,945) and GS 12 after his third year ($76,664).  To move beyond GS 12 requires competing for senior level or supervision/management, but many GS 13 and higher positions exist especially for those who are geographically mobile.  If one is willing to move to DC, you can fall into a GS-14 position ($105,000) with almost zero difficulty. Further, even without advancing beyond GS 12 grade, pay raises of between 2-4% are guaranteed yearly and “step” increases within grade are scheduled at regular yearly, then bi-yearly, then tri-yearly intervals.  A career GS 12 employee will generally exceed $100,000 in salary within 8 years of starting with the government.  That means $100K for many college grads by age 30.  Not bad, right?   Add in extremely generous vacation (leave), 11 scheduled holidays, health coverage, life insurance and a competitive retirement package, along with work-life benefits including telecommuting (working from home), day care options, and free gyms, and the federal government may be something to seriously consider.

Leadership across the federal government is reaching retirement age and the next 5 years will have incredible growth in federal management positions.  Now is the time to consider getting in.  From law enforcement to medicine, teaching overseas to working at the Smithsonian, federal employment offers an incredible variety of amazing, rewarding, careers that may be right for you.

www.usajobs.gov is a job posting site for many federal agencies.  Check it out when considering you career options.

http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexGS.asp this pay table will show what federal careers pay in your area,

About the author:

Guestblogger77 is a 15 year career federal employee now working with the Department of Homeland Security.  He completed his undergrad degree in 1992 but was undecided on his future.  After attending grad school and bouncing around in a few different industries, he took a few government entry level tests just to see what was available.  He eventually started as a GS-5 for INS in 1996 making an unsubstantial $19,500.  Over the years he rapidly progressed to the rank of GS-15 and then Senior Executive Service (SES).   Salary today – $149,000.  Who knew the government paid this well?

Do you want a professional to take a look at your resume? Send us your resume http://bit.ly/9jn5IC

America’s Got Product! by Chris Kilcullen

Chris Kilcullen

With Labor Day upon us, and jobs being the most critical component to our economy, We The People need to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, What is my role in this”?  With consumer spending generating 2/3’s of this economy it is time that we look for every opportunity to support the products and the companies that support this economy.  We live in a supply and demand economy, we create additional demand for the products that are manufactured here, manufacturers will add people to the payroll to create the supply.

Americas Got Product has just published a rating system that rates every car and truck sold in America (both foreign and domestic manufacturers) based on the economic footprint that each product leaves on this country.  Every purchase produces paychecks, some more than others but your decision impacts this economy by either keeping money in America and providing American jobs or sending money out of this country, eliminating American jobs.  The more money that leaves this country, the less money there is to earn n this country.

When we support the products and companies that support this economy, they will produce higher profits and other corporations will look for every economically feasible way to produce products that you want to buy.  America’s Got Product is designed to support the products that support this nation and put more Americans back to work.  Yes, our economy is in trouble, yes our government is a mess but do not forget, this is the land of the free and the home of the brave.  Our history dictates that we capable of taking on challenges much greater than this.  With 300 million Americans, with 300 million ideas and 300 million paychecks, we can turn this around if we all put an ore in the water and start rowing in the same direction.

Chris Kilcullen

founder, AmericasGotProduct.com

VP Sales and Marketing, United States of America

www.AmericasGotProduct.com

Receive a professionally designed custom resume for less than gassing up your car. Click here to learn more http://bit.ly/9jn5IC