We know there is a growing need for workers who can support the shift to a green economy. Although green skills are increasingly sought by employers, with demand increasing worldwide by 40% since 2015, there is a shortage of knowledge and skills across the workforce to meet this demand. This challenge also presents a monumental opportunity to invest in education and skills training that will prepare our workforce to contribute to a greener future.

USGBC recognizes the imperative to invest in workforce development and foster the next generation of green workers to achieve a healthier, more sustainable future. Our green building careers page is a hub for those seeking to explore and prepare for a green career. It contains resources to help emerging professionals better understand the green careers landscape and equip themselves to join the workforce.

The green careers page highlights occupational profiles, which showcase a variety of professions that are critical to supporting and growing the green building industry. These profiles exemplify the diversity of skills and knowledge needed to advance a sustainable built environment. From energy and design experts to construction and mechanical technicians to traditional business roles, these profiles show that not only is green building for everyone, but a green career can be too.

We recently added four new occupational profiles: climate change policy analyst, public health professional, renewable energy technician and urban planner. Throughout April, we will spotlight each of these new profiles, sharing information about the occupation’s role in green building and providing resources for those interested in these careers.

Climate change policy analysts support local action

Sweeping environmental regulations, legislation and funding frequently come from the highest levels of government, but implementation happens at the local level. State and local leadership are responsible for determining the best means to enact regulations and allocate funding, and climate change policy analysts are critical sources of information for decision-making.

Cities and states have their own unique challenges and priorities when it comes to climate adaptation and resilience. As the name implies, policy analysts conduct research and analyze it to help leaders understand the best strategies to use funding and legislation to address their local concerns. Policy analysts consider the environmental, social and financial implications of proposed strategies and actions, communicate complex political frameworks, and use their conclusions to make recommendations to local leaders.

Policy analysts bring expertise in data, communications, politics and the environment together to support long-term planning and action. As local and federal governments, and even the private sector, continue to scale up climate action, policy analysts will have growing importance in determining the benefits and drawbacks of proposed plans.

Learn more about climate change policy analysts

For each occupational profile, we have curated a selection of education courses on our platform that support the knowledge domains and skills needed for the occupation. For climate change policy analysts, these courses include

Green Building Policy—An Advocate’s Training: Presented by USGBC’s advocacy and policy team, this course introduces the green building policy landscape and provides attendees with guidance for kick-starting their own advocacy.
LEED for Cities Showcase—A Culture of Collaboration in Florida: Hear how local leadership across Florida is working to apply sustainability and resilience strategies to accelerate their climate action goals and develop buy-in from governments and citizens.
USGBC National Capital Region, Maryland and Virginia Local Government Leadership Panel: This panel out of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia discusses how each local government has used political and legal strategies to meet the environmental and social needs of its communities.
City Scale Solutions Toward Net Zero: Nonprofit and local government leaders share steps they’ve taken locally to catalyze climate action and position their cities as sustainability leaders.

In addition to the above courses, more content and resources to support aspiring and current climate change policy analysts includes:

Occupational profile: Climate change policy analyst
USGBC advocacy and policy articles

Learn more about climate change policy analysts

Spotlight on green careers: Climate change policy analyst