This week I attended a bunch of #ClimateCareerWeek events and they've been very helpful and energizing for my job search.
Videos of all the sessions were recorded and posted here: https://lnkd.in/gkdXZ37d It's a great resource. You should really check them out. Especially https://lnkd.in/gYxKWvBJ , and https://lnkd.in/gi8_y7rp
I want to shout out to https://lnkd.in/gdQW8f7W - All of Natalie's sessions were excellent - full of informative, non-obvious and actionable advice. She's a great presenter and moderator.
I'm glad I made the trek up to Oakland for the in-person meetup on Wednesday ( https://lnkd.in/gjgbYq8z ). Everyone there was truly friendly and helpful. I met great people, people who are working on the biggest problem of our lives from all sorts of different angles: from in-home batteries to saving the giant kelp forests to capturing CO2 from the air and turning it into airplane fuel.
Plus, a lot of people who are fed up with meaningless, mercenary, business-as-usual careers and who are looking for work with purpose. Looking for a way to lend their skills to fighting the ongoing global crisis.
I made the switch from internet software to fighting climate change 8 years ago, when I found an opening to use my skills to do data analytics to make solar power cheaper (at kWh Analytics) and I'm so glad I did.
The resources that exist today are so much better - there are climate-specific incubators, job boards, career counselors, etc. When I first started trying to find a way into clean energy, there was no https://climatebase.org/ or https://www.terra.do/ or https://workonclimate.org/ .
I'm happy to connect with anyone who is looking to make a similar change. I'm not gonna lie, the transition is challenging, but it's worth it.
Remember - Nobody has a straight-line career path into fighting climate change. It's too new. You can't major in it yet. And it's not a single sector or industry, but a mission that affects and is affected by every industry on Earth. So if it seems daunting, if you want to get involved but don't have any relevant qualifications, keep trying - there's not a single "correct" career path for getting there. Everyone's path is unique. It's not too late - you didn't miss your chance.
Something I heard again and again this week: "In the future, all jobs will be climate jobs". Because no industry will remain unaffected by the need to mitigate, and/or adapt to, the rapidly warming planet.
