Environmental Education as a Career Choice

One of the most pressing needs that our planet faces today is that of the environment (apart from COVID that is). Climate change is not something that the future will bring – it’s at our doorstep and we’re facing myriad challenges because of it.

From raging wildfires (in Australia & California) and millions of dead fish washed ashore, to swarms of locusts invading cities and storms across the globe, it is evident that climate change needs more than lip service. But, what we need to ask is – what measures can we take to stem (or correct) this damage?

These are the questions that make environmental education a critical field of study at this moment. Find out what careers in environmental education is all about.

Put simply, environmental education studies the issues facing our planet, engages in problem solving, and arrives at concrete action-steps to improve the environment. Such a process enables a deeper understanding of our planet and helps us make more informed choices.

What is environmental education? It consists of five main parts:

• Awareness about the environment and its challenges
• Understanding of the environment and its challenges
• Developing concern for the environment and putting in efforts to maintain a healthy/quality environment
• Developing skills to identify and solve environmental challenges
• Proactive participation in activities concerning environment and improving the challenges

Considered as an ‘interdisciplinary’ subject, environmental science degree is best recommended for students who have an interest in understanding the natural and human environments. In environmental science, students are required to combine skills and knowledge from a variety of fields including, geography, biology, physics, earth and marine sciences, and social sciences.

A number of globally ranked universities from across the globe offers a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. To start with, we have hand-picked universities featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020: Environmental Sciences:

Apart from the subject being interesting, there are also various career options that you can take up in environmental science where you combine desk-work with field work.

Some of the career opportunities in environmental studies include:

• Environmental Specialist
• Environmental Engineer
• Environmental Scientist
• Environmental Manager
• Marine Biologist
• Waste Management Officer
• Sustainability consultant
• Commercial horticulturist
• Conservation Hydrologist
• Hydrologist
• Marine Biologist
• Meteorologist
• Oceanographer
• Seismologist
• Wildlife Biologist
• Environment Journalists
• Water Quality Scientist
• Zoologist
• Conservation Scientist
• Environmental Consultant
• Programme Officer (Environment)
• Environmental Lawyer
• Environmental Science Manager
• Environment Photographer
• Agricultural Engineer
• Anthropologist
• Climatologist
• Ecologist
• Entomologist
• Geographer

According to Indeed, a well-known jobs portal, Environmental Lawyer is among the top jobs one can pursue with an environmental degree.

Here are some great options you can pursue if you enter this field.

What you’ll do:

• Specialise in legal aspects pertaining to land, air and water
• Lobby to enact new environmental compliances and laws and to protect ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity
• Represent clients on matters of water law, climate change law and land management

Average Salary: $74,337 per year (approx. ₹ 56,09,000)

What you’ll do:

• Study and assess ecosystems to determine the impact of humans on the ecosystems and environments
• Conduct scientific investigations and record accumulates data, i.e. classify plants, animals and other organisms and recording the data that you accumulate
• Educate communities about environmental issues and ecosystems in respective area

Average Salary: $74,247 per year (approx. ₹56,02,000)

What you’ll do:

• Offer expert advice to clients in managing environmental issues
• Work towards reducing a company’s overall carbon footprint
• Measure a client’s current levels of environmental contamination and suggest measures/systems to deal with the damage

Average Salary: $67,580 per year (approx. ₹50,99,000)

What you’ll do:

• Focus on research in marine lives
• Study life in other saltwater areas like wetlands
• Observe and collect data on marine animals and life
• Perform experiments and study marine animals and life

Average Salary: $48,017 per year (approx. ₹36,23,000)

What you’ll do:

• Monitor the impact the environment
• Detect and propose solutions to environmental issues.
• Perform samples on food, water, soil or air
• Implement prevention programs for minimizing environment-related problems

Average Salary: $28,460 per year (approx. ₹21,47,500)

These are only a few options. There are many more areas of specialization you can opt for.

The world, as we know it, has changed in the past few months. Now, more than ever, there is a need for us to take active measures to save our planet.   If you have a deep desire to be an agent of change and also secure a career in a field where the demand for skilled professionals is growing, then this is something worth considering.

Also find out more about Ecotechnology.