For generations, younger adults have led social movements that make the world we live in today a better place. People in the 20's have historically shown up for equal rights, anti-war, and environmental movements. However, when it comes to actually working on these issues as a living, we're given few options. Yes, you can go ahead and start your own business or organization, but more likely you have to work at the bottom of the ladder and make insignificant change until the industry trusts you or work somewhere unrelated to the problems you want to work on. For previous generations, the journey into that important and impactful position, takes time but it's worth it, however, it feels that by the time that you get there the world is already more progressive and more ambitious on solving the world's issues.
Yes, I am impatient. Climate change is here and I'm increasingly frustrated that I can't find an impactful job in the field. Why should the people who are most energized to work on this problem be underlooked, undervalued, and underpaid? It's becoming more common to respect young people in the activist space, but it's time for the workforce to reflect these ideals. Society should invest more in the next generation in order to solve the complex issues we face today.
There should be recruiters specific to this field which find you contract positions in all sorts of companies — big corporations that need a better sustainability team and justice organizations that need more support driving political change. I found lots of staffing agencies that want to help people early in their career but mainly in business and accounting positions. Now, we need the equivalent with climate jobs in orde to get smart, qualified people working on these issues ASAP.
Stop wasting young talent. Invest in the problem solvers of tomorrow.
