Since the world is turning greener, how can you establish yourself in this new career field? Green-collar jobs have been cropping up in the past few years – we first heard about them in the presidential primaries from candidates on both sides of the political fence. Now with the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Obama has promised to spend $150 billion over 10 years to create 5 million new green-collar jobs.

How can you take advantage of the added funds to this new career field? Can you just transition your skills over – or will there be additional training? These are the questions many people are asking themselves, especially when jobs are already scarce.

But, there’s good news! Since the government is willing to fund these new green jobs, that means there are possibilities for your current career or a new one. Take your current skills and apply them to:

• Hybrid auto repair, maintenance and assembly
• Clean coal production
• Green construction
• Green public transit operators
• And more!

There are new careers hitting the green-collar job field that might take additional training and skills. Explore some new areas of green jobs, like:

• Wind energy
• Solar panel production, repair and maintenance
• Green Information Technology
• And more!

Learn more about green careers and training today!

Obama’s stimulus package has marked $40 billion dollars on green jobs - jobs that either help protect or repair the environment. And in a lot of cases, it’s not a matter of a complete career change - instead, it’s about applying green standards and procedures to jobs that already exist!

HVAC workers are learning how to work with new materials, such as solar panels, and learning new EPA regulations. And since going green on heating and air conditioning tends to save pennies, a certification in EPA standards can really pay off!

Other jobs that should benefit from a green emphasis? Construction managers, electricians, environmental engineers - and even sales jobs! Eco-friendly products are becoming popular and learning how to market environmentally friendly products can be a real boon.

So if you’re looking toward your future, keep one eye on the future of the planet. You might be surprised by how greatly you’ll benefit!

“Green” can be considered a new spin on common sense, when you think about it. It’s a set of guidelines that people, businesses and government use to eliminate wasteful habits and practice being practical. It’s another word for progress, and progress needs people to pitch in to make it work. So why not earn a paycheck pitching in for progress?

Many businesses in the emerging Green Collar sector are beginning to receive their grants and stimulus packages to begin making impact locally, regionally and nationally. But if you’re not a business owner and are just a Regular Joe looking to help, where do you find these jobs?

•Networking through social media is no joke
There are lots of strategies for successful networking, especially in the digital age. Find a digital network like LinkedIn.com, set up your page, and then (this is important) participate in the network’s social gatherings in your area. It’ll take shoe leather and a lot of handshakes, but eventually you may make a breakthrough.

There are also professional organizations that welcome new members such as EcoTuesday and GreenDrinks that get businesses and people who want to help together for low-pressure social events. Use this opportunity to listen just as much as you use it to talk to people what kind of work you’re interested in.

•E-mail job listings
There are a number of specialized e-mail lists that distribute green job postings. The good news is, most of them are free to join including EnviroJobs on Yahoo Groups, Green Job List, and Young Non-profit Professionals Network (YNPN.org).

•Green recruiters
Because Green is now operating in the black, there are an increasing number of recruiters that focus on careers based on sustainability. A number of these organizations will post positions for which they are currently seeking candidates. Two places to start would be Commongood Careers and Bright Green Talent.

•Go to school, even if you aren’t enrolled
Academic institutions, community colleges, technical colleges and career colleges are all now on the lookout for Green Collar job postings. So if you’re enrolled currently in a one of these institutions, make sure to specifically ask about them at your career services office. If you aren’t enrolled, many times community colleges will allow anyone looking for work to enroll at their job fairs, so don’t be afraid to ask!

Find out about the next career fair at your school or in the area and make sure you’re on the list. Green Collar is becoming bigger all the time, so there are now many urban and regional job recruitment fairs dedicated specifically to Green Collar jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers.