Its’ a challenge keeping many balls in the air
YOU MUST be enthusiastic about sustainability and the environment. You need to be able to positively influence people, so good communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
Project management skills are important because you’ll be dealing with several long-term projects across a wide range of topics and areas, and you need to manage all of them simultaneously.
Keep an open mind, keep learning from everyone around you and don’t be afraid to seek expert advice. There are no quick fixes – sustainability is and needs to be a longterm focus. You will make mistakes, but take the lesson and keep moving the strategy forward.
There are many different careers in the sustainability field, from big corporates to private consultancies, government organisations and NGOs.
Qualifications needed: I studied law and finance, but more specialised sustainability qualifications are now available. Environment science and law are good options, and there are interesting opportunities in social development.
Where to train: Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch and universities of technology.
Expected earnings: Income varies enormously depending on whether you are in a corporate job, a private consultancy, a government organisation or an NGO. But people in this field tend to have good technical qualifications so you can expect to earn from about R15 000 a month up.
Contact: Justin Smith at 021 407 2943 or justinsmith@woolworths.co.za; Sustainability Institute at 021 881 3196, http://www. sustainabilityinstitute.net/; Cape Peninsula University of Technology at 021 460 3911, 021 959 6911.