Jobs in the Wind Power Industry

The biofuel production and wind power industries have both experienced a lot of growth in the state in recent years.  Both are expected to help lead the way to Minnesota’s greener and more renewable energy future. What are the employment opportunities in these industries?  Do you have what employers are looking for? This two-part series by Labor Market Analyst Kate Aitchison explores results from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED’s) semi-annual Job Vacancy Survey and provides ideas on how you can move into these fields.  Last week’s installment offered insights on jobs in the biofuels industry. Today’s takes an in-depth looks at jobs in the wind power industry.  

Part 2: Wind Power

What are the jobs like?

The wind power industry has been growing steadily in Minnesota over the past years. There are 84 wind farms spread throughout Minnesota where the turbines generate electricity as the wind blows. Additionally, there are construction companies, development professionals and plenty of support and maintenance positions in this field. The Job Vacancy Survey focused on those workers who help operate and maintain wind turbines.

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Jobs in the Biofuels Industry

The biofuel production and wind power industries have both experienced a lot of growth in the state in recent years.  Both are expected to help lead the way to Minnesota’s greener and more renewable energy future. What are the employment opportunities in these industries?  Do you have what employers are looking for? This two-part series by Labor Market Analyst Kate Aitchison explores results from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED’s) semi-annual Job Vacancy Survey and provides ideas on how you can move into these fields.  Today’s installment takes an in-depth looks at jobs in the biofuels industry.  Next week’s will offer insights on jobs in the wind energy production industry.

Part 1: Biofuels

What are the jobs like? 

Biofuels refer to transportation fuels made from organic materials.  The most common biofuel is ethanol, a fuel usually made from corn.  Biodiesel is the other main biofuel, and it is typically made from soybeans or other natural oils.   

Jobs in these types of plants are similar to those in other manufacturing settings, with the majority of people working in production facilities. Minnesota has 21 ethanol plants and 5 plants that make biodiesel. These 26 locations had an average of 18 job openings when they were surveyed over the past two years. Most of the people working in this field were offered wages between $49,000 and $55,000 per year. 

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Learn about the Skills Needed in Green Jobs

O*NET, the authoritative national source of occupation information, has a new website devoted to green occupations.  O*NET collects skill data on 800+ occupations, so the new website is a great place  (in fact, the only place) to find comprehensive information on what skills are needed in green jobs.  To view skill information, to the green home page, then click on the Online Search tab.  Then  choose a green sector to view information about occupations in the sector.

Green vs. Energy Jobs: How Do They Fit Together?

What’s the difference between a green job and an energy job?  

It’s Easy Being Green: Career Advice from a Green Copywriter

Green marketing is a new and emerging career field — so new, in fact, that there’s not much standard information on wages, skill requirements, or growth projections yet.   If you’re interested in going into this field, or another new and emerging occupation, how can you learn about it?  One way is to talk to people who are already working in the field.  I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Anne Michelsen, green copywriter and co-owner of  Marathon Renewable Energy in Wasau, Wisconsin.  During our conversation, Michelsen offered some great advice for green career seekers.

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Interested in sustainability and the environment?

Sustainability and the environment are hot topics these days. Have you thought about turning this interest into an education choice? Inside Higher Ed just published “Schools of Sustainability, Colleges of the Environment” highlighting universities that are establishing colleges or programs in these multi-disciplinary areas. Green and energy degrees incorporate diverse fields of study for students and prepare them for careers in a variety of industries. The report gives examples of such program options including those at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Their degrees include ecosystems and human impact, business management with a specialization in sustainable business, and environmental design, policy, and planning. You can also check out examples in Section 1 of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education‘s most recent report that highlights 66, new-in 2008 “sustainability-focused academic programs.”

So what programs are available in Minnesota?

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