MNN - Mother Nature Network

Traditionally green jobs have been in male-dominated fields. You don’t see a lot of women climbing wind turbines when they break down. This isn’t to say that there aren’t females in these jobs but by and large the majority of green jobs are in industries that have long been the man’s domain. The topic of green jobs for women has been a hot one for several years but last week the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau stepped in to address the issue in a more formal way with the release of a new green jobs guide.

 

“Many occupations in the clean energy economy remain virtually untapped by women," said Sara Manzano-Díaz, director of the Women's Bureau. "This guide is an invaluable resource that workforce professionals can use to help women transition into higher paying jobs that serve as a pathway into the middle class. It is also a tool to help fight job segregation." Source: DOL

 

The guide, Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman’s Guide to a Sustainable Career, is available online in both PDF and HTML versions. Sections in the guide are dedicated to a variety of topics including chapters on educating yourself for a green career, green entrepreneurship and profiles of women currently succeeding in their chosen green job.

 

The profiles section was particularly interesting to me. Seven different females and their green jobs were highlighted including Tara Webb. Why did Tara Webb’s green job catch my attention? Simple – she’s one of the females that have climbed a wind turbine as part of her job responsibilities.

 

Webb is a Portland, Oregon-based inside electrician apprentice and according to the Why Green Is Your Color guide, she climbed a 300-foot tower to wire a windmill. She’s also installed solar panels, another project typically dominated by male workers.

 

Read more about Webb’s journey into a green job and how to start a green career for yourself by downloading the free guide now, Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman’s Guide to a Sustainable Career.