If I haven't learned anything else here, I've learned the diversity of this group is amazing. You can ask anything here and there is someone that knows. So here is my question: I have a family member that is about to graduate with a degree in Environmental Sciences. He is getting really discouraged about the job market. For those involved in environmental work, any thoughts on where the job market is headed or where he could best look for a job?

I'd look at long established larger manufacturing companies, companies that once use to deal with their waste, etc, in ways they are paying for now. Companies like here where I work have a whole environmental staff dealing with past issues and trying to head off new ones before they cost them even more.

Turkey,

Tell him to go to graduate school in industrial hygiene / safety or switch to nursing. To be honest I have about as strong an environmental resume background as anyone in this state. He will most likely have to leave the state to find gainful employment. Shoot me a PM and give me his name and number and maybe I know someone / company / some real advice I can help him with in his career field.

Allen

Pm to ya turkey

Like said above, grad school. I'm in grad school at UAB for industrial hygiene. Our graduated average 5 job offers before graduation and a starting salary of $75k-$90k.

What does he want to do? ES degrees are kind of broad in their curriculum. He could do hazardous waste like already mentioned, natural resources, conservation, private consulting or regulatory. I'm in private consulting and I love it. I'm a biologist but we have environmental scientists on staff. Let me know what kind of work he wants to do and maybe I can point him to some places.

I believe the job market will only get stronger as more regulations are invoked.

Poor choice of degrees. Not many jobs, lots of competition for those jobs, and they don't pay well.

At least get his MBA or something else to fall back on.

I have a Biology/ Chemistry degree with Environmental Science. To get a decent job, he needs to go to grad school and perhaps study Environmental Engineering, IH or something similar. Jobs are hard to find, but it is a good career if you can get your foot in somewhere. I've been an Environmental Scientist/ Sr. Specialist for the DOD for around 16 yrs now. Tell him to check on USAJOBS.com and look for environmental protection specialists jobs, only thing is they are 95%+ filled with vetaran status candidates. He is young, tell him to get his masters while he is young and "unestablished" and not tied down with life. He needs to be willing to move out of the area to start his career and by doing so, he will be more employable.

Grad school in Geological Sciences. By the time he's out, the oil and gas industry will hopefully be back on its feet and will be hiring again.

Plus geology rocks.

APCO, Alagasco, BellSouth/AT&T anybody who breaks ground for new construction and/or is under the guidelines of the EPA needs Environmental people.

I'd look real hard at southern company's career board.

This.

Otherwise, stick to the compliance side of Environmental Work. There is more of a widespread market with compliance than anything else environmental. I am currently somewhat pigeon holed working with NEPA documentation, or in other words my gainful working knowledge is strictly limited to federal actions, and in turn federal monies.

Thanks for the replies and especially the PM's. I think he received bad advice 4 years ago and is now paying for it. What he really wants to do is work with wetlands restoration. He is now getting a hard dose of reality regarding the jobs available. He is leaning toward joining the Coast Guard. They've told him there is a use for his degree there and that he can come in as an officer. We'll see how this plays out.

My cousin has a degree in environmental biology. He screwed around for 3 years trying to find a decent job. He went back to UAB and got an accounting degree.