Your career and our planet

Posted on 10 January 2024 • Career planning

One of my favourite presents last Christmas was a box of soap, so I can switch from buying plastic bottles of shower gel. It represents my, albeit very small, attempt to reduce the amount of plastic I use, and my intention is to incorporate other, more sustainable, products into my life and be more mindful about how I contribute to looking after our planet. In my work at the OU I’m also focusing on low carbon methods of travel, sustainable materials and how we can influence companies we work with to also be sustainable.

I’m not the only one looking to make changes and wanting to contribute. OU students and alumni increasingly ask us how they can have a rewarding career whilst simultaneously supporting our transition to a sustainable global economy. Sustainable careers are not only for environmental studies or sciences students; you can build sustainability into many careers to a greater or lesser extent. To help you work out how to pursue a career whilst supporting a better future for the planet, we’re planning in a range of activities and resources including:

• • Green and sustainable career learning events – check the OpportunityHub events calendar regularly.
  • Systematically embedding sustainability into careers resources such as our industry reports for your career sector research, and signposting other resources where useful, such as the Green Careers Guide.
  • Listening to and collaborating with the OU Students Association’s Environment and Sustainability Working Group to understand student requirements and align our actions.
  • Including sustainability into our discussions with employers, just like we do, regarding diverse, welcoming workplaces and inclusive recruitment practices.
  • Training our careers advice and guidance professionals in green careers and carbon literacy. Learn more yourself with the OU/BBC Bitesize ‘Regenerators’ green issues resource and the OU/BBC Ideas video ‘How to talk with children about climate change’.

In bringing sustainable careers to the forefront in our discussions with a wide range of recruiters, we hope to continually expand the range of sustainable opportunities advertised by employers on OpportunityHub. Whilst doing this we’ll maintain professional standards of impartiality in our relations with employers, without favouring or excluding any particular one and, critically, are informed by student demand.

Sustainability can be an emotive subject, with individuals feeling passionate about their opinions and how we can best effect change. Our mission at the OU is to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. Your OU careers team aims to help all our diverse OU students achieve their goals, whatever they are and whatever your background, differences or interests. We don’t judge or tell you what careers to do or what to avoid.

Before you dive in and explore explore current sustainable career opportunities, remember to review your career and study goals with our 3-minute careers check-in. Then map out a sustainable route to achieving your goals with Navigate Your Future, a structured, automated activity pathway tailored to your goals. Watch out for more careers advice on sustainable career options and we’ll build a better future for our planet together.

Ellen Cocking is Head of the OU’s Careers and Employability Services, part of Student Support Services. Ellen’s job is to steer and manage the strategic direction of the whole careers team, which works with students and alumni, faculties and employers to help you achieve your goals. This includes increasing student engagement in careers services and using data to inform inclusive and sustainable service development. Ellen also works closely with the OU Students Association, the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Students’ team and faculty colleagues to help ensure employability is built into the whole student journey. Ellen’s favourite mindfulness activity is going to her weekly pottery class (making items more sustainable than plastic containers!!).