With 24-hour news stations, the internet, and radio spewing news at you, sometimes it’s easy to miss what’s important. In this case, news about green jobs, currently available and soon to be. So we’ve rounded up some recent items that may affect your own job search - in a positive way:

• Samsung Signs $6.6 Billion Deal to Build Wind and Solar Power in Ontario- Under the terms of the agreement, officials said, Samsung must build four manufacturing plants in Ontario, promising 16,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next five years. The energy generated will be enough for 580,000 homes.
• More solar power to be built in 2010: Between 500 and 600 megawatts of solar power will be built this year across the United States €” about double the figure of last year — according to Larry Sherwood, who compiles and studies such data as a consultant to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, a nonprofit industry group. Key employers would be Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric.
• Indiana Chosen for Electric-Car Plant: The Think City, a battery-powered, two-seat hatchback, is set to begin rolling off the Indiana assembly line in early 2011, ramping up to a potential annual production of 20,000 cars by 2013. Think said it will spend more than $43 million to upgrade the Elkhart factory, which is expected to eventually employ more than 400 workers.
• Confluence Solar to Invest $200 Million in Tennessee Manufacturing and Distribution Facility: Innovation Valley Inc., a regional economic development initiative of Knoxville and Oakridge Tennessee has announced that Confluence Solar will invest $200 million in a manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facility in Clinton, Tennessee, near Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
• Tesla officially calls Chicago home: It appears Tesla Motors has truly sweetened up their Chicago home and officially opened its Windy City doors.

Each of these represent new green jobs - so get hunting and good luck!

We’ll be looking at green jobs by sector over the next several weeks. One of the areas that has gotten less attention than others is energy conservation and efficiency. Perhaps it’s because these jobs are less sexy or cutting edge - but the fact remains that the retrofitting of buildings over the next decade will continue to be a growth industry.

What types of jobs are part of this sector?

• Installers of insulation, weatherstripping, etc.: To do the hands-on work of improving building efficiency
• Building energy analysts, building inspectors, etc.: To analyze structures and determine retrofitting needs
• Mechanical engineers, industrial energy efficiency engineers, etc.: To create the schematics and technical plans necessary for implementing efficiencies
• Sales and marketing professionals: To sell energy conservation and efficiency solutions to residential, commercial, and industrial customers
• Technical writers: To translate technical materials and instructions into language end users can understand
• Instructors and educators, outreach professionals, etc.: To train prospective job seekers, customers, and others in energy conservation and efficiency
• Project managers: To manage building retrofitting projects

As you can see, energy conservation and efficiency jobs run the gamut, encompassing numerous disciplines. The important thing to remember from a job seeker’s point of view is that the Federal government has injected substantial funding for this type of work at both the national and state level. Part of that money has been earmarked for training. So if you’re in a different but related field now, you may be able to have all or a portion of your retraining costs covered.

Where to start? First, as always, spend some time assessing your skills and interests. Which energy conservation jobs appeal to you? Next, determine what additional training you need to land the job you want. Some companies may be willing to take you on as a trainee or intern; others rely on community colleges and vocational schools for their new employees.

Finally, approach your job search in a methodical, thorough manner - don’t expect an energy conservation job to fall in your lap! Identify companies and organizations in your area that employ people in your target job. Use job sites (such as Great Green Careers) to locate advertised jobs. And don’t give up - energy conservation employment will continue to grow for years to come!

The green economy is all over - but some places provide more fertile ground for green job seekers. In a recent report by Jim Motavalli on The Daily Green, 5 cities are singled out for their growth in green jobs.

Growth in the green sector has been strong - and as many as 1.9 million jobs are expected by 2020 from the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The stimulus bill is pumping $30 billion into the clean energy sector alone.

Without further ado, here are the top cities for green jobs:

1) New York City: The city has just launched PlaNYC, which includes 127 initiatives for greening the city - plus $1 billion retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency. Interestingly enough, EarthLab Foundation ranks NYC as the 2nd greenest city in the US in terms of carbon output.

2) San Francisco: � California leads the nation in clean energy jobs, and many of those are in the San Francisco area. Voters recently approved $100 million in revenue bonds to support renewable energy, and 20 big construction projects have applied for LEED certification.

3) Boston: The number three energy source in this city is wind power! The city is home to multiple universities, green companies, and R&D firms - all combining to create a steady flow of new green jobs.

4) Detroit: Despite Michigan’s 15.3% unemployment rate, Detroit has benefited from DOE funding for green tech initiatives that aim to employ skilled labor in the area. There are a cluster of companies tied to green transportation in the area, and abandoned industrial plants have been converted to new incubators for solar and wind companies.

5) Portland: The Oregon city has a lengthy environmental heritage and is ranked most friendly to bikes in the nation. The state has almost 20,000 green jobs, many of them located in Portland.

You should also take a look at Clean Edge’s list of the 15 best areas for clean tech jobs, which includes Houston, Phoenix, and Austin.

The first thing most job seekers interested in green jobs ask is “What exactly is a green job?” Honestly, this is a pretty tough question to answer - apart from obvious professions such as renewable energy and green building, many jobs fall into a gray (rather than green) area.

Perhaps a better question to ask is: “What are the top green jobs available?” Luckily, we’re not the first to ask this - so without further ado, here are a few useful lists to get you thinking about your green careers:

From Forbes: 6-figure green jobs:

1. Chief Sustainability Officer (Chief Environmental Officer/ Chief Green Officer)
2. Environmental Lawyer
3. Environmental Engineer
4. Climatologist/Environmental Meteorologist
5. Renewable Energy Manager
6. Environmental Specialist/Scientist
7. Senior Urban Planner
8. Commercial/Industrial Designer
9. Conservation Scientist
10. Senior Hydrologist

From CareerBuilder: Top 25 green gigs:

1. Hydrologist
2. Environmental Engineer
3. Pest Control Technician
4. Conservation Biologist
5. Science Teacher
6. Toxicologist
7. Pollution Control Technician
8. Fund-raising Director
9. Ecologist
10. Camp Counselor
11. Business Manager
12. Economist
13. Forester
14. Environmental Attorney
15. Community Affairs Manager
16. Environmental Health and Safety Technician
17. Landscape Architect
18. Waste Disposal Manager
19. Environmental Chemist
20. Corporate Waste Compliance Coordinator
21. Urban and Regional Planner
22. Agricultural Inspector
23. Wastewater Water Operator
24. Wildlife Biologist
25. Pollution Control Engineer

From Boston.com: Green-collar jobs:

1. Green Interior Designer
2. Eco-Friendly Furniture Builder
3. Green Landscape Architect
4. Green Fashion Designer
5. Environmental Scientist and Hydrologist
6. Protection Technician
7. Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic and Installer
8. Construction Manager
9. Farm, Ranch, and Agricultural Manager Specializing in Organic Production
10. Financial Analyst/Adviser Specializing in Socially Responsible Investing
11. Solar Installer
12. Sustainable-Design Architect
13. Environmental Lawyer
14. Fuel-Cell Entrepreneur
15. Environmental Engineer

Start searching!

Welcome to our green careers blog! We’ll be covering all aspects of the green economy with a particular focus on the types of green jobs out there and how you can find one. We’ll also talk about training resources, great informational web sites, green employers that you may not have considered, and much much more.