Education can shift understanding that all careers must be ‘green’
As young students, particularly those in middle school and high school begin to contemplate the industries they may go into, they must have the awareness that their chosen industry will need to adapt to best promote sustainability. Currently, in our schools, sustainability is not a focal point despite the emphasis on planning for the future.
The ALL Careers Approach to Education, as designed by environmental educator Martin Ogle, connects environmental knowledge to all careers in our economy, not just simply targeting the aptitudes formally recognized as “green careers.” This approach is vital to understanding human involvement in sustainability both in the future and present, as students begin entering the workforce. All careers of the future will need to implement a concentration of sustainability regardless of the industry in order to prioritize the conservation of our natural resources and implement sustainable practices into daily life. This concept allows us to increase environmental knowledge and concern, similar to the current concern for civics and safety present in our society. Although important to implement into our current workforce, it is even more important that the future generations of our economy are taught this approach to understand the significance of sustainability as a concept. To further understand this concept, we first must understand sustainability challenges that industries may experience, such as excessive plastic dependency in the medical field. We can then begin to find solutions in order to better this challenge, such as innovating a more environmentally friendly material that is both sustainable and effective in replacing plastic use.
While a lofty endeavor, such innovation in all the industries of our economy is necessary to prevent environmental depletion and alter our workforce for the better.
Sustainability is not a topic of the future, but rather a topic of the present to ensure a better future. Educating our youth about the personal experiences they will face regarding sustainability can allow us to shift our economy so that all careers can be recognized as “green careers.” As students begin entering the workforce, they should recognize that their desired industry must change in order to better reflect the changes in our world, as well as consider what specific actions they can take to enact such change. In order to prepare for a more sustainable future, I see it best to employ this approach in schools. With education involving our economy and workforce already present in curriculums, I feel strongly that sustainability can also be integrated into this information. Considering the impact education systems can have on students’ future ambitions, education on this topic is essential going forward.