VGM's Careers in the Environment was written to provide up-to-date information on scientific and technical careers for people who want to contribute to protecting and restoring the environment. Within these pages you will find descriptions of many scientific, professional, and technical careers in well-established as well as new environmental fields. For each highlighted career we supply information on the type of work performed, typical setting, education requirements, advancement potential, and salary levels. In addition, we provide cross-references to related careers that may better fit with your personal interests. The book includes chapters on tips for finding a job and a comprehensive guide to environmental education. In each part and chapter you will find numerous listings of books and organizations that can give you more detailed information for each job and career area. The appendices include hundreds of additional resource listings. Contact addresses are also provided for hundreds of professional organizations, government agencies, and nonprofit groups to help you collect additional career information and make important career contacts.

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

Chapter 2 provides detailed information on how to organize your job search, resources for finding a job, a discussion of the major government agencies employing environmentalists, and information about finding an organization or company that meets your career objectives.

Chapter 3 provides an overview of both technical education and college programs; information on how to select a college or technical school or pursue an advanced degree; and sources of financial aid.

The rest of the book is divided into seven parts providing detailed information on the following fields:

Part One -- Air and Water Quality Management

Part Two -- Energy and Resource Engineering

Part Three -- Planning and Design

Part Four -- Forestry and Outdoor Recreation

Part Five -- Biological and Life Sciences

Part Six -- Agricultural and Animal Sciences

Part Seven -- Waste Management and Environmental Assessment

OUTLINE OF EACH PART

Introduction to the Field

Each of the seven parts begins with a general introduction to the job category and discusses important environmental issues being addressed in the field. The Overview presents employment statistics, graphs of employment by job sector and of projected growth, and a bar graph of salary ranges.

This is followed by discussions of the history of the field, major employers, projected growth and trends, issues of concern to the field, and sources of further information.

Job Descriptions

Following the introduction you will find chapters with job descriptions for the field. Each chapter describes the type of work performed, working conditions, responsibilities, and advancement potential. Each chapter also provides the following:

Educational Requirements describes the level of education needed for each job and the various educational programs available. Two-year associate degrees, college and university degrees, and special training programs are discussed in detail.

Special Certifications describes mandatory state and federal licenses as well as voluntary certificates provided by professional and trade associations.

Setting provides a description of the work environment, the locations of major employers, safety issues, and typical work hours, schedules, and special benefits.

Employment Statistics and Major Employers provides a detailed description of major employers, government agencies, and projected employment demand.

Salary Statistics includes data on starting salaries and average salaries, broken down by levels of education. In addition, comparisons of salaries for the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and average salaries for college and university faculty are provided.

Sources of Additional Information provides the addresses of professional organizations and publications that can assist you in choosing a career and finding a job.