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Green Jobs and Resources

Green Job Listings Back to Top

Assorted Job Boards

Use keywords such as “sustainable” or “green” or “solar,” etc.

Green Job Information Back to Top

Reports on Employment Back to Top

Using CIS to Find a Green Job or Employer Back to Top

Check the Career Information System (CIS) for green occupations as well as others that may have a green focus. Use JOBcentral under Related Information in each occupation to find current openings in Illinois. You can also expand your search to other states or nationwide. Also try Employer Locator (under Additional Resources on the CIS home page) to search by industry.

Green Investments and Jobs in Illinois Back to Top

Excerpt from Green Recovery: A New Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy
Center for American Progress, 2008

Potential Illinois Jobs

Building Retrofitting

Electricians, Heating/Air Conditioning Installers, Carpenters, Construction Equipment Operators, Roofers, Insulation Workers, Carpenter Helpers, Industrial Truck Drivers, Construction Managers, Building Inspectors

Mass Transit/Freight Rail

Civil Engineers, Rail Track Layers, Electricians, Welders, Metal Fabricators, Engine Assemblers, Bus Drivers, Dispatchers, Locomotive Engineers, Railroad Conductors

Smart Grid

Computer Software Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Electrical Equipment Assemblers, Electrical Equipment Technicians, Machinists, Team Assemblers, Construction Laborers, Operating Engineers, Electrical Power Line Installers and Repairers

Wind Power

Environmental Engineers, Iron and Steel Workers, Millwrights, Sheet Metal Workers, Machinists, Electrical Equipment Assemblers, Construction Equipment Operators, Industrial Truck Drivers, Industrial Production Managers, First-Line Production Supervisors

Solar Power

Electrical Engineers, Electricians, Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Welders, Metal Fabricators, Electrical Equipment Assemblers, Construction Equipment Operators, Installation Helpers, Laborers, Construction Managers

Advanced Biofuels

Chemical Engineers, Chemists, Chemical Equipment Operators, Chemical Technicians, Mixing and Blending Machine Operators, Agricultural Workers, Industrial Truck Drivers, Farm Product Purchasers, Agricultural and Forestry Supervisors, Agricultural Inspectors

Illinois’ job estimates are based on this distribution of an overall $4.4 billion in green public and private sector investments:

  • Energy efficient building retrofits: $1.7 billion
  • Mass transit and freight rail: $871 million
  • Smart grid: $436 million
  • Wind power, solar power and advanced biofuels: $1.3 billion

In addition, all of these green energy investment strategies engage a normal range of service and support activities—including accountants, lawyers, office clerks, human resource managers, cashiers and retail sales people. We have not listed these and other related occupations because these jobs are not directly linked to any of our six green investment strategies. But new employment opportunities will certainly open up in these areas as a result of the green investment program. See www.recovery.gov/?q=content/recovery-act-opportunities.

Green Education Programs in Illinois Back to Top

Renewable/Sustainable Energy Technologies

  • Black Hawk – Sustainable Energy Certificate
  • Sauk Valley – Basic Wind Energy Certificate & Advanced Wind Energy Certificate
  • Wilbur Wright – Building Energy Technology Certificate
  • Carl Sandburg – Renewable Energy Technologies Certificate
  • Illinois State University -- Renewable Energy bachelor’s degree

Bio-fuel Technologies

  • Richland – Biofuel Control System Technology associate’s degree, Bioprocess Operator Certificate, Biofuels Technician Certificate

Maintenance Technologies

  • Highland – Wind Turbine Technology Certificate and associate’s degree

In addition, classes and workshops are offered through community education, environmental action groups and professional associations such as www.ecw.org/university/index.php and for LEED certification www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=283. Some colleges and universities have online programs and degrees.

Education relating to the green economy is rapidly expanding; check the Career Information System (CIS) at www.ILWorkInfo.com/icrn in Programs of Study to find whether courses and training programs are available in your area. For example, CIS lists degree-granting programs in:

  • Environmental Biology
  • Environmental Design
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering Technology
  • Environmental Health
  • Environmental Science
  • Environmental Studies

A search in CIS for “environment” or “sustainable” also brings up Programs of Study (majors) in:

  • Agricultural and Extension Education
  • Agriculture, General
  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Architecture
  • Community and Regional Planning
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Fisheries Sciences and Management
  • Forestry
  • Geochemistry
  • Geography
  • Geological and Earth Sciences
  • Housing and Human Environments
 
  • Hydrology and Water Resources Science
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Landscaping and Groundskeeping
  • Natural Resources Conservation
  • Natural Resources Policy and Management
  • Oceanography
  • Range Science and Management
  • Urban Studies
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Technology
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
  • Wildlife Sciences and Management
 

Questions? Contact the Illinois Career Resource Network at des.icrn@illinois.gov or call toll free at 877-513-1987. 

Illinois Department of Employment Security 

External links are for information only. SWIC is not responsible for the content.