Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Sustainability Professionals in Events
For entry-level event roles, many opportunities exist as coordinators, utilizing temp agencies for varied on-site work, gaining "insight into what big picture looks like". In sustainability, networking, volunteering (like with Open Door Climate), and exploring fellowship programs—such as the Environmental Defense Fund's Climate Core—offer pathways, even transforming existing roles to incorporate sustainable practices, as "so many companies are thinking about sustainability, but they don't know where to start".
Entry-Level Opportunities, Sustainability Careers, Event Management, Networking and Volunteerism, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Karen Young
Senior Manager of Sustainability
Global Events Company
Texas State University
n/a
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Climate, Environment and Sustainability
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Many entry-level event positions exist, such as coordinator roles offering insights into various event aspects (operations, marketing, sales). Temp agencies provide diverse opportunities, from registration to concert/trade show support.
2. Numerous pathways exist in sustainability. Networking, volunteering (e.g., Open Door Climate initiative), and exploring daily efficiency improvements in current roles are crucial.
3. Fellowship programs (like the Environmental Defense Fund's Climate Corps) offer opportunities to gain experience and transition to full-time roles. Sustainability can be integrated into various fields, such as accounting (e.g., switching to digital invoices).
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider? I'll split out events and sustainability.
Events offer so many opportunities. If you're working for a show organizer or an event planner, being a coordinator for that team allows you to support from an operations, conference, or marketing perspective. An organizer handles many different roles for an event, so being a coordinator provides insight into the big picture. This allows you to pick a route or lane you might be interested in.
On show sites, many people are needed, so temp agencies are a great resource. You can work at registration or scan badges to get into a classroom. This provides variety in your role. For instance, you could get paid to attend a concert and take tickets as a temp for the music industry.
If you're involved in trade shows, you might find yourself in a conference room with amazing speakers, gaining valuable exposure. From an event side, there are numerous opportunities for exposure.
The sustainability world is a completely different field. You can meet many people by simply going for a walk and talking to them. Every job can be a climate job, so think about your day-to-day tasks and how you can do them more efficiently using fewer resources. If you enjoy gardening, consider getting a job at your local nursery.
The volunteer network is also very significant. I highly recommend the Open Door Climate initiative. It's a movement and initiative that started on LinkedIn by Daniel Hill, who works for the Environmental Defense Fund.
They have an open-door policy where people share insights into their careers as sustainable professionals. This gives new hires and aspiring professionals a better understanding of how to enter the industry. They also have a podcast called Degrees.
The podcast offers short, approximately 20-minute episodes on challenges, ideas, tips, and ways to craft your message. These episodes help you find less obvious paths into the sustainability world.
Daniel Hill at the Environmental Defense Fund also has a Climate Core fellowship program. This program offers an opportunity to secure a position at a company while you're still in school, which could potentially lead to full-time employment.
Many fellowship programs are available now because companies are increasingly focusing on sustainability but are unsure how to begin. They often seek someone with extensive experience, a sort of unicorn candidate who may not yet exist, even with a college degree. When I attended college 20 years ago, these options weren't available.
So much has changed since then, making it a great time to really get in and shape yourself based on your passions, turning them into a sustainability role. Even in accounting, deciding to use digital invoices instead of paper ones can become a sustainability job. It's about finding those wins in whatever you do.