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CAREERS

The students and alumni of the program benefit from the Earth Institute Professional Development Program. The program’s initiatives enrich classroom learning, as students and alumni prepare to enter or advance in the field of sustainability management. The program focuses on skill building, access to leading practitioners, career networking, and specialized job search strategies and tools. Students also have access to personalized career counseling. Those students with more than 10 years of experience may join an Experienced Hire Career Action Group, which connects them with a career coach to discuss the specific needs of experienced professionals.

 

 

JOB SEARCH TOOLS

The Earth Institute Job List includes some 300 current opportunities at any one time, including a diverse mix of full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities. The Resumé Book is a searchable database for employers who are recruiting for sustainability positions. . A list of resources for sustainability career planning is made available to students, as well as free access to Glassdoor.

 

 

CAREER COUNSELING

Students have access to one-on-one, 45-minute career counseling sessions in the evening with a career coach, where they can get feedback on resumes and cover letters, and other forms of personalized assistance in their job search. Students also have access to career coaching through the Career Design Lab during regular office hours.

 

 

EXPERIENCED HIRE ACTION GROUP

Students in sustainability-related programs with 10+ years of work experience are invited to join this Experienced Hire Career Action Group.  Regular meetings during the semester allow experienced professionals — who are looking to make a career change— the opportunity to meet peers, brainstorm for ideas and connections, perfect self-presentations and gain advice. These sessions take place throughout the academic year and are facilitated by a career coach.

 

 

INTERNSHIPS

The Earth Institute seeks to link students with internships in sustainability and related management, policy, engineering, and science fields. Through the Earth Institute Internship Program, students work at participating external organizations, who are committed to offering paid internships each year to students in the Earth Institute’s education programs. The Earth Institute too, provides paid internships at Earth Institute research centers.

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY SKILL-BUILDING

The Sustainability Seminar Series comprises half- and full-day non-credit seminars that help students gain cutting-edge skills they can use to succeed in the field. Below you’ll find a sample of what we have offered in the past and a list of upcoming events can be found here.​

  • LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation Seminar

  • Urban Metabolism

  • Planning a Green Vehicle Fleet

  • Sustainable Smart Technology and Controls Seminar

  • General Motor’s Electric Vehicles and Sustainability Report Seminar

  • Advanced and Financial Excel Skills Training

  • Climate Adaptation Planning Seminar

  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Seminar

  • Sustainability Metrics

  • Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate GHG Accounting and Reporting Standard

  • Public Speaking – Communication Strategy and Delivery

  • Product Lifecycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting

  • Consulting 101: How Consultants Win Work

  • Networking and Interviewing Skills Seminar

  • Corporate Sustainability Consulting

  • IRRI Mexico: Projects for Local Sustainable Solutions

ACCESS TO SUSTAINABILITY PRACTITIONERS

Through the Sustainability Speakers Series and the Practicum in Innovative Sustainability Leadership, students are able to engage and learn from leading practitioners. Below are some of the speakers from recent events:

  • Douglas Durst, Chairman, The Durst Organization

  • Donna Givens, CEO, Eastside Community Network

  • Neil Hawkins, Chief Sustainability Officer, Dow

  • Venetia Lannon, Deputy Secretary, Environment, New York State

  • Sara Law

  • Sophia Mendelsohn, Head of Sustainability, JetBlue Airways

  • Steve Nicholas, Vice President, Institute for Sustainable Communities

  • John Sargent, CEO, Macmillan

  • Lacey Shaver, Community Engagement Manager, STAR Communities

ALL IVY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CAREER FAIR

The annual All Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair attracts top organizations from the private, non-profit, and public sectors to the Columbia campus. The Fair is open to undergraduate and graduate students from all Ivy League schools, as well as Earth Institute alumni.

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