Betting on the green economy is not only a way to revive economic models that have finally become sustainable, in contrast with widespread criminal environmental policies. The green economy also means job opportunities. According to the report GreenItaly 2016, drawn up by Unioncamere and Fondazione Symbola, in Italy there are already three million people employed in the sector, and the number is growing. That’s not all. Companies and the public are paying attention to sustainability, which has led to the emergence of various specialized figures who are very necessary to the market.
Would you like some examples? First of all, we have engineers. The world needs household appliances to become more and more green, but it also complete heating and ventilation systems able to reduce the energy impact. Unioncamere has learned that 10% of Italian patent applications registered in Europe in 2015pertained to innovations for the green economy. It is a real boom that adds to the growing demand for "mechatronics” engineers, i.e. those figures able to combine computer, mechanical and electronic skills. In particular, mechatronics is crucial in making increasingly sustainable engines and plants.
Ten percent of the Italian patent applications registered in Europe in 2015 were for innovations for the green economy: a real boom.
In addition to those who study and design, the green economy also has great need of expert staff to plan corporate strategies focused on environmental impact. These figures arerisk managers, who are specialized in assessing the potential security risks to territory arising from the company’s activities. This type of job is among the most important because, in addition to being a potentially devastating event for the territory, environmental damage (should it occur) would compromise the image of the company that caused it. This is why a risk manager’s role tends to very delicate.
Many of the people who work in the green economy sector are also involved in theinstallation of eco-sustainable materials: photovoltaic installations, heating systems and many other instruments used in homes and offices.
Lastly, we would like to mention a final category of "green economy workers". We cannot call them “new professional figures”, but what is certain is that thegreen economyhas made certain jobs more sustainable, thanks also to the growing awareness of citizens regarding certain topics. We’re are thinking of theboom of kitchens and supermarkets selling locally grown products, with the consequent chefs, farmers and specialized distributors. Furthermore, we are also thinking of the large demand ofecological tourism: more and more people are choosing hotels and itineraries based on environmental criteria, and portals and agencies have been started – such as ecobnb.com – which classify trips precisely on the basis of these characteristics.