Building Green Career Pathways with
Energize Schools has resources to engage and prepare students for one of the fastest-growing areas of the job market: green careers! Our Curriculum Library includes 3 full-year, ready-to-teach Career Technical Education (CTE) courses that prepare students for careers in green technology, sustainable entrepreneurship, environmental design, and more!
Energize Schools also has resources to build student awareness and excitement around sustainability careers. Our Green Careers Webinar Series and Green Careers Conferences provide perspectives from green career professionals, while the Green Careers Toolkit provides key tools for students to explore their career path before crafting resumes and cover letters.
Energize Schools also has resources to build student awareness and excitement around sustainability careers. Our Green Careers Webinar Series and Green Careers Conferences provide perspectives from green career professionals, while the Green Careers Toolkit provides key tools for students to explore their career path before crafting resumes and cover letters.
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How Energize Schools Can Support You:
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Students attending the Energize School's Green Careers Conference learn about an exhibitor's light panel display.
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"When students first come to class, it’s like, 'Ugh, I don’t even like science!’ That’s why I love moving into CTE. The curriculum that SEI has built changes their minds about science because it’s not such abstract concepts for them to visualize. ... All of the hands-on components and the connection to real world situations or real world issues has been a huge benefit to me. It makes my time as a teacher much more enjoyable."
— Juan Hernandez, a teacher at Oceanside High School, teaches SEI’s Career Technical Education courses Innovations in Green Technology and Energy and Environmental Design. |
Career Technical Education — the Future of Education
A mapping of California’s Career Technical Education industry sectors.
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Learning about solar technology can be fun and accessible at any age. After learning to build a solar toy car, students watch their cars go!
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What Makes Career Technical Education Different?
Career Technical Education (CTE) courses help students develop technical and professional skills for energy and sustainability careers. No matter what students’ interests, background, and skills are, they learn how they can make a good living while helping to address the most important economic, social, political, and environmental challenges of our time.
From taking CTE courses, students become an informed citizenry that is engaged in creating sustainable energy systems that are essential to economic, social, and environmental quality of life and that understand sustainability challenges are opportunities that require creativity, innovation, and leadership.
Career Technical Education (CTE) courses help students develop technical and professional skills for energy and sustainability careers. No matter what students’ interests, background, and skills are, they learn how they can make a good living while helping to address the most important economic, social, political, and environmental challenges of our time.
- CTE programs bridge the skills gap and help create a pipeline of talented emerging professionals to meet the growing demands of the shifting economy by integrating skills such as zero-emissions and electric vehicle training.
- CTE programs provide students with a pathway toward high-wage vocational work (e.g., electrician, plumber, technician, etc.), increasing salary potential and decreasing the earnings gap.
From taking CTE courses, students become an informed citizenry that is engaged in creating sustainable energy systems that are essential to economic, social, and environmental quality of life and that understand sustainability challenges are opportunities that require creativity, innovation, and leadership.
High Demand: Green Job Growth
According to WorkingNation's Green Jobs Now report, green job demand is projected to increase by 5.5% in the next five years. "Learning the most highly demanded green skills can come with a substantial salary increase," according to the report. "Renewable energy knowledge was the green skill most requested by employers in 2022, with over 40,000 listings and an annual salary premium of about $5,600."
According to WorkingNation's Green Jobs Now report, green job demand is projected to increase by 5.5% in the next five years. "Learning the most highly demanded green skills can come with a substantial salary increase," according to the report. "Renewable energy knowledge was the green skill most requested by employers in 2022, with over 40,000 listings and an annual salary premium of about $5,600."
Browse CTE Curriculum
Sustainable Enterprise Curriculum
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Innovations in Green Technology
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Energy and Environmental Design
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All courses are semester- or year-long UC A-G approved courses that are designed to meet California Career Technical Education Standards. Teachers can request curriculum by completing this request form. Please share the opportunity to request SEI curriculum widely with your colleagues but do not share curriculum directly. Sharing of curriculum is restricted to SEI to enable accurate grant tracking and to allow us to provide updated versions to all schools and classrooms using our curriculum.
Sustainable Enterprise Curriculum
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This course provides students with content knowledge and hands-on skills for vocational and entrepreneurship pathways in green careers fields. The Sustainable Enterprise Course is aligned with the Career Technical Education standards in the Entrepreneurship Pathway (Marketing, Sales & Services Sector). The modular format allows teachers to easily adapt content and activities to align with additional standards, including state-specific standards for vocational education.
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Innovations in Green Technology
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This D-Lab Science course introduces students to career opportunities in sustainable STEM fields through a series of projects including wind turbine design, making biodiesel, creating solar cars, and energy auditing. The Innovations in Green Technology course is aligned with the Career Technical Education standards in the Energy and Power Technology pathways (Energy, Environment, and Utilities Sector).
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Energy and Environmental Design
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The SEI Energy and Environmental Design course is year-long UC A-G approved G-Elective course in which students complete in-depth experiential projects related to sustainable design, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. With Introduction to Green Technology, this course offers complete coverage of California Technical Education standards for the EEU industry sector - Energy and Power Technology Career Pathway.
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Finding Your Path to a Green Career
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Energize Schools's Career Connections Toolkit is a one-stop shop for educators, counselors, and emerging professionals. The Career Connections Toolkit provides tools for job seekers interested in green careers.
The toolkit will guide you through the early stages of a job search, starting with an exploration of sustainability professions and moving through applying for jobs and networking. It also includes an introduction to industry certifications. Access SEI’s Career Connections Toolkit here. |
SEI's Energize Schools is proud to be a U.S. Green Building Council Education Partner. Our curriculum is available as part of the USGBC Learning Lab's online education platform.
