For those looking to find jobs in the environmental sector, this is a good time to be on the market in the United States and Canada. That was one of the main messages delivered during A&WMA’s lively and well-attended April 2 Webinar: “Environmental Careers: A Path To Your Future.”

With more than 300 attendees representing at least 50 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, “Environmental Careers” was one of A&WMA’s most successful Webinars. During the one-and-one-half hour event, six speakers representing different backgrounds and geographical perspectives discussed the job market for environmental professionals, key academic trainings, and lessons learned from their experiences.

Moderator and Pittsburgh environmental attorney Harry Klodowski (B.A. Biology) of Betts, Hull & Klodowski kicked off the program by outlining the opportunities in consulting, industry, and government, as well as the drivers behind a strong environmental job market in the near future. State agency compensation and benefits at entry level positions for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection were compared to national median compensation for experienced professionals.

Rich Fiore (B.S. Geology) of Search Consultants International, Houston, has placed more than 450 professionals in industry positions in the last few years, mostly in the Gulf Coast and central United States. He stressed that employers are having a difficult time finding enough environmental professionals with the desired training, particularly engineers. The strength of the job market is due to the overall economy and regulatory impact. The job market began to improve in 2005 and is now the best since 1986, Fiore said. His statistics show that 80% of positions filled require knowledge of air quality issues, and 34% of jobs have a primary focus in air quality.

Gale Hoffnagle (M.S. Air Pollution Control), Senior V.P., TRC Environmental, which employs 2600 professionals at 60 offices, discussed what consulting firms are looking for in a number of academic fields. According to Hoffnagle, the business climate is strong, and he expects a slowdown in new source permitting and an increase in enforcement that will create additional business. He also discussed personal traits that appeal to employers, as well as the career path and lifestyle of the consultant.

Megan Roe (B.S. Chemical Engineering), Manager, EH&S, PPG Industries Coating Division, Pittsburgh, spoke about her experience in the last four years in industry, from intern to plant compliance manager to corporate responsibility. EH&S concerns are an issue in all stages of the product life cycle on a global basis.

Grant Trump, CEO of ECO Canada, presented statistics on the Canadian market and career resources. He pointed out that environmental jobs in Canada are growing at a higher rate than overall employment, women are underrepresented compared to the general workforce, and employers say they cannot find candidates with environmental skills. College enrollment for some environmental programs, such as environmental engineering, is down 50% over the last 10 years, while chemical engineering is up 13%. Trump concluded by mentioning that ECO Canada has a number of projects and resources to develop trained and experienced environmental professionals, including an online job board and internships.

Nancy Pfeffer (B.S. Chemistry), President of Network Public Affairs, Long Beach, CA, related her career experience in industrial compliance, consulting, industrial environmental policy, and government—and her current position as owner of a small consulting business. She described how unique California regulations for environmental impact review, and new ones such as the AB-32 on climate, have created—and will sustain—a variety of environmental career opportunities in the state.

Following the presentations, there was an active Q&A session. Most of the questions and their answers are available on the A&WMA Web site (www.awma.org/go/careerwebinar), as is the full Webinar as a free download for A&WMA members.