With recent concern for the environment, green building practices are becoming increasingly prominent. Expertise in green construction, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, is in high demand, and jobs are on the rise. Here are three construction jobs that will be necessary in promoting green practices.

Heat and Air-Conditioning installers: Environmental awareness has prompted the use of energy saving heat and air-conditioning units. Older units will be replaced with more efficient technology, and there will be higher demand for the maintenance of these increasingly complex systems. Boost your career with classes from a technical school, and increase your knowledge of energy-efficient heat and air-conditioning units.

Concrete pouring: Concrete is one of the most common and durable materials used in construction. With new green practices, packed gravel and permeable concrete are replacing the use of conventional concrete. Such methods encourage proficiency in water drainage. Concrete pouring skills can be in demand as methods become more specialized!

Window installers: High-efficiency windows help green buildings reduce energy usage. Recent window technology helps to maintain buildings’ internal temperatures. In addition, proper window placement on a building allows more natural light, decreasing the need for electrical lighting during the day. Learning about new window installation and placement techniques may boost your career.

Visit Careerexplorer.net to find a technical school that can help you start your career in green building practices today!

With the push for more green technology jobs, the Department of Labor has distributed $7.5 million in green employment and training back in July 2009. There is a one requirement for this funding: this money is designated to help Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans obtain green jobs.

Organizations across the country are reaping the benefits of this new funding while helping veterans. One in particular, Swords to Plowshares located in San Francisco, has received $300,000 to help train and find veterans green jobs in the Bay area.

The employment agency is one of 17 nationwide to receive this funding and so far it’s helped several veterans transition to civilian life after their tours of duty. Some of the careers that this funding is going to are:

• Solar panel installation
• Weatherization
• Green certification in HVAC

Learn more about green training today with CareerExplorer.com!

Want to change your job but don’t know where to start? How about with one of these:

•Air Traffic Controllers: $117,200. Typically, two to four years of training are needed in order to become fully certified, although previous military experience can cut that time down significantly.

•Industrial Production Managers: $77,670. A college degree is preferred, but not necessarily mandatory. They often work in industries such as aviation and automobiles.

•First-Line Police and Detective Supervisors: $69,300. Police officers can advance through the ranks to become supervisors by passing exams and achieving good performance reviews, and advanced training can help win promotions.

•Funeral Director: $49,620. College programs in mortuary science usually last from two to four years. You typically must also serve a one-year apprenticeship, pass an exam and obtain a state license.

•Police and Sheriff Patrol Officers: $47,460. Applicants usually must have at least a high school education, and some departments require a year or two of college or even a degree.

•Advertising Sales Agents: $42,750. 20% has a high school degree or less, and 10% have an Associate’s degree.

•Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents: $39,760. While advanced coursework is not necessarily required, new entrants must pass an exam and get a state license.

•Occupational Therapist Assistants: $42,060. These workers usually need an associate degree or a certificate.

•Occupational Therapist Aides: $25,000. These employees receive most training on the job.

•Physical Therapist Assistants: $41,360. Assistants, who have greater responsibilities, typically need an associate’s degree.

Start looking for your career training today with CareerExplorer.com!

All salary information is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Lately, a hot topic in the worlds of careers and education has been green construction. It’s something many of us can agree is a good thing, but some experts predict that a country-wide overhaul of the buildings we live, work and play in could take many, many years.

Now, in a somewhat unlikely place, after unfortunate circumstances, a town is giving all-green a shot. That town is Greensburg, Kansas. After a monstrous tornado wiped out this town in May 2007, residents were devastated, but they also had a chance to start fresh.

For Greensburg, that meant reconstructing the town with a clean slate – as “the greenest town in rural America.” For instance, the local John Deere dealership just earned the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum certification, the highest designation. Together, windmill power, solar photo voltaic panels, and geothermal heating and cooling systems put some of the latest technology to work to power buildings and homes in Greensburg.

As residents continue to work to rebuild their town, they make new developments in green construction. Greensburg, Kansas is definitely a town that you’ll want to keep your eyes on – especially if you’re pursuing a career that will let you make our world a greener place to live.

Thinking of training for a Green Collar or renewable energy job? Look to the heartland.

The state government set some pretty lofty green energy goals for Kansas businesses. Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius and current Governor Mark Parkinson set a goal of producing 10% of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2010. The business community recently met this ambitious goal much earlier than expected, and is showing signs of making even further progress.

Quick facts about Kansas Green Energy:
•    Kansas’ wind generating capacity recently surpassed 1,000 megawatts
•    Kansas’ wind generating capacity has more than tripled since the beginning of 2008
•    Hutchinson, Kansas is the site of a huge turbine factory expected to create and install 650 wind turbines by 2010
•    The state’s rapid increase in wind power infrastructure has positioned Kansas as 3rd out of all states for wind energy production

The Hutchinson factory operation is expected to create an estimated 400 Green Collar jobs, along with all of the community support services, construction and amenities jobs attached to any large-scale production facility. Even better, the new facility has an adjacent 80,000 square-foot service and repair facility. The Green Collar industry is exploding in Kansas, and it only took a few years to get it off the ground.

Types of jobs that are created to service the Green Energy industry:
•    Construction
•    Electrical infrastructure
•    HVAC
•    Trucking and Transportation
•    Real Estate
•    Medical and health care
•    Emergency Medical Response teams (EMT)
•    Business and project management

Green Energy is an excellent and profitable industry that creates new jobs for emerging technology, but also boosts traditional industries looking to expand into new markets.

If you were to move to the Hutchinson, Kansas area, what Green Energy jobs would you qualify or be able to train for? It may be easier than you think to join the renewable energy movement!