Since returning from Spring Break, I've faced two questions pretty consistently. The first, "How was your spring break?" is pretty innocent. It's all about the now of college life. When's the last time you got a death stare because you asked how someone's Spring Break was? Spring Break is college hedonism. Exhibit A: Asking someone to describe it usually leads to (mildly) embellished tales of sun−drenched debauchery, places with palm trees and no freezing temperatures, and maybe a hangover. In the grand scheme, hangovers aren't so bad.
The second question is pretty much the polar opposite, so it usually comes a little more tentatively. People even preface it with, "If you don't mind my asking…" as if they're prying into my darkest fears and worst doubts — which they are.
"So, do you know what you're doing next year?" Oh, the humanity. Unless you live under a rock, you know the job market for newly minted college grads isn't exactly humming right now. Unemployment rates for 20−24 year olds hover around 15 percent, a solid five points higher than the national average. Things are better if you have a college degree, but it's still not a rosy picture by any stretch. A BusinessWeek article in October, titled "The Lost Generation," referred to recent grads as "bright, eager, and unwanted," and noted that stunted employment prospects now might create a kind of lost generation.
Employers, in an effort to cut costs, have begun to axe the recent college grads that fill the lowest ranks on their employment totem poles. These professionals, armed with a year or more of experience, have in turn begun to fill positions usually reserved for newcomers. All of which leaves rising graduates holding the short end of the stick.
So what's left for new grads to do? Many will take refuge in grad school and hope to ride out the recession while making themselves more employable. Others will engage in service projects or travel (AmeriCorps programs like Teach for America have seen a surge in applicants). For many these aren't perfect solutions, but they're preferable to living off a couch.
Now the good news: There are actually a bunch of economic sectors that are growing and are going to need recent college graduates really soon. Health care is one, especially as the U.S. population ages and requires a more developed medical support system. Accounting and finance are others, though it remains to be seen if the U.S. financial system will ever revert to its former glory. The sector with possibly the greatest potential for growth, however, is green jobs.
Green jobs have a few advantages over other, more established sectors — most notably diversity of possible careers. While engineers currently make up the largest slice of the sector's options, grads with other academic backgrounds can find choices too. Everyone, from energy firms to policy think tanks to environmental consulting practices, is looking for employees. Since sustainability seems to be the new profitability, that trend seems likely to continue. Given its huge range of applications, the green sector might just be what the computer industry was 40 years ago.
Of course, actually finding a green job is a little trickier than knowing they exist, which is why this year's Tufts Energy Conference will be more than a simple academic forum. Participating students will have several opportunities to network and interact with employers, including the Conference Showcase on Friday April 16 in the Cabot Intercultural Center. This catered event will be free to all students and will allow them to meet various companies, non−governmental organizations and academic organizations concerned with energy and the green market. Students who pay the $5 conference registration fee will not only be able to attend all keynote and panel sessions, but will also be able to participate in résumé drops with sponsors British Petroleum (BP), Dow Chemical, Chicago Bridge and Iron and Enel Energy. Registration can be completed at Tuftsenergyconference.com.
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Graham Rogers is a senior majoring in International Relations. He is the on-campus advertising coordinator for the Tufts Energy Conference planning team.
