Sustainability is a concept of infinite proportions. There are a million subtopics, specialties, and rabbit holes to go down. Even more overwhelming, sustainability is interdisciplinary and holistic in approach, so you need to be able to cross topics and break out of silos. This is quite exciting for anyone who loves learning, but it can be intimidating when you are a sustainability practitioner, like me, and are trying to pick out a professional development pathway.
There are two general approaches you can take: generalization or specialization. Both are valid and will depend on the job market available to you and your natural talent and interest. Specialization can be easier to articulate on a resume or elevator pitch. The linear list of certificates and skill development is a bit more obvious than the wandering, ‘softer’ path of a generalist. (If you are interested in generalization but are on the fence, the book Range by David Epstein may interest you.) I personally keep myself generalized, as what I bring to my clients is a breadth of knowledge to inform creative solutions to their problems. For people who want to work on something highly technical, specialization can be absolutely appropriate. Research, reporting, and other science-based activities lend themselves well to specialization. Regardless of your path, it is always worth developing people skills. You will need to work with other humans, so invest in that toolbox.
More and more universities today are offering sustainability programs. I got my bachelor’s degree in business and sustainability at the University of New Hampshire, and I greatly enjoyed the academic and pre-professional experiences I had there. However, you do not need a degree in sustainability to work in the field. In fact, to address many of our most significant issues, like climate change, we need as many people as possible to get to work now, bringing the skills and knowledge they already have from their roles and applying sustainability principles. If a formalized program does appeal to you, universities are a great option, and there are also numerous fellowship and certification programs such as the Sustainability Excellence Associate from ISSP.
A major challenge with any of this is, of course, funding. As a solo business owner, I have limited funds, so I am choosy about my conferences, webinars, and memberships. If you do work for someone other than yourself, see if there is funding available for your professional development. Even if there isn’t a formal policy, it is worth an inquiry to your manager or HR. You may receive some pushback on how sustainability relates to your role and the company, so come prepared with specific ways in which this will help you succeed in your work there. Many organizations also offer some form of scholarship, and it is almost always worth an application. If you don’t see anything on the website, reach out to the organization and ask directly.
Most of the time, I am content with my bachelor’s degree and do not seek out any further certification. I do, however, regularly attend webinars and in-person sessions to keep myself abreast of industry developments and gain new skills. I have three memberships in three organizations – Future Fit Foundation, International Society for Sustainability Professionals, and New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility – and between all of those I usually have a full calendar of learning opportunities. I also sign up for webinars that I come across on my LinkedIn feed or are recommended by people in my network. I have little to lose by listening to other people for an hour, and I could potentially gain a lot of wisdom. Conferences are usually quite expensive, so I have to be selective with those, however the in-person benefits to learning are significant. Even more so, a conference presents chances to interact directly with experts, breaking away from the awkward formality of a webinar. These in person and online lessons do not give me anything to put on my resume, but they do strengthen and expand my knowledge.
Something to keep in mind: you will learn by doing. Having a degree in sustainability and business has been incredibly helpful in bringing tools and perspectives to clients. However, I have purposefully held off from getting major certifications or degrees in the first few years of my business. This is because the most valuable thing I can earn at the moment is actual work experience. I have the theory down. I can draw a stakeholder map like nobody’s business. Yet it is the action that gives me the most learning opportunity. At some point, this will shift and I will benefit from a focused, long-term educational program such as a master’s degree or some sort of fellowship, but that is still a long ways off.
I will close this blog with a shameless promotion of my Taking Aim Sustainability Bootcamp. This is a three day entry into the world of sustainable business. It is a great introduction to many essential concepts like future fitness, systems thinking, and stakeholder engagement. Whatever path you go down, remember that it is always good to further your knowledge and expand your world.