case study three
Creating Sustainability Jobs in the Marketplace
Students today invest ~ $100,000, on average, for their academic education at an out of state public 4-year institution. What is their return on this investment? – finding a good paying job in the marketplace! At Grand Valley State University (GVSU), ~15% of all student credit hours are being taken in sustainability related courses and curriculum. To assist graduating students with finding an entry level sustainability position in the West Michigan marketplace, GVSU conducted several surveys with employers in the greater Grand Rapids area to determine an inventory of key desired sustainability skillsets for entry level employees and positions.
100k
15%
Invested on average for a 4 year academic education
Of all credit hours are being taken in sustainability related courses
The Federal Government stopped tracking the employment base for “Green Goods and Services” in 2014. Although incomplete, as all employment sectors were not covered, there was a growing base of sustainability related jobs totaling ~100,000 in Michigan at the time.
At GVSU, many students continue to seek West Michigan sustainability jobs upon graduation. As a result, colleges and universities, such as GVSU, must look at their future role in a different light, that of a “Developer”, such as talent development. Students are finding out that nearly all employers are looking beyond degrees and requiring specific skillsets and experiences as well. Therefore, one specific role for every college and university is a developer of talent for the marketplace that includes skillset development, experiential learning, life-long learning, continuing education, and job creation. This initiative for colleges and universities requires a close working relationship with employers, such as through career centers, innovation hubs, job fairs, and internship opportunities.
The Office of Sustainability Practices at GVSU undertook several surveys with key employers regarding the critical “hard” and “soft” sustainability skillsets needed for an entry level sustainability position. The desired “hard” sustainability skillsets for employers across various sectors included: environmental and economic impact assessments; understanding of sustainability systems and processes; community engagement and development; clean and renewable technologies; environmental policies and regulations; and sustainability standards and certifications. Some of the important desired “soft” sustainability skillsets included: organizational planning; leadership; applied research; problem solving; systems thinking; relationship building; and creativity and innovation.
Therefore, with this baseline information, clear talent development strategies can be designed for college undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Sustainability course offerings and curriculum can take the form of emphases and certificate programs. Several examples at GVSU include a degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in sustainability; a degree in chemistry with a certificate in green chemistry; and a degree in natural resources with a certificate in sustainable food systems. By developing and offering this type of sustainability curriculum, students upon graduation will have an improved chance of finding their desired sustainability position in the marketplace.
Norman Christopher
August 2019
