The Need for a Broad, Multi-Disciplinary Workforce
Continued population growth, unprecedented rates of urbanization, and increasing resource consumption in the developed and developing world place tremendous pressure on both natural and social systems. In this context, sustainable development becomes the only reasonable answer. The Brundtland report of 1987 defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” [WCED, 1987].
Implementing a holistic approach to sustainable development and daily living requires a workforce that understands the economic, environmental, and social perspectives of this broad, optimistic framework. Students who complete the Minor in Sustainability will have command of the language, structure and skills of multiple, relevant disciplines and so will be better placed to take leadership in this complex, challenging field.
Jobs that Fulfill the Demands
A review of job postings in www.idealist.org, the leading source for jobs in the not-for-profit realm, revealed a plethora of employment opportunities for which graduates of this proposed program would be eligible. A single search of www.idealist.org for jobs related to the search term "sustainability" in the month of February 2021, returned 353 job postings from organizations such as:
Center for Biological Diversity
Environmental Law and Policy Center
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance