Green Transportation Careers

High School

Those interested in pursuing careers in science and engineering should take classes in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and science.

Many vehicle manufacturing jobs require mechanical skills, so you should take advantage of any shop programs your high school offers, such as auto mechanics, electronics, welding, drafting, and computer programming and design. In the core subject areas, mathematics, including algebra and geometry, is useful for reading blueprints and using computer programs that direct machine functions. Chemistry is useful for workers who need to be familiar with the properties of metals.

Vehicle designers will benefit by taking classes in art, computer-aided design, mathematics, and physics.

Aspiring vehicle service technicians should take automotive and shop classes, mathematics, and computer science classes.

Those who want to become transportation planners should take course work in computer-aided design, drafting, and environmental science.

Those on the managerial track should take business, mathematics, and accounting classes.

Classes that will be useful for any type of worker include English, speech, computer science, and mathematics. Learning a foreign language is also useful because many people in the United States do not speak English as a first language. Additionally, engineers, scientists, designers, and planners may travel to foreign countries to trade conferences and other events to meet their competitors and peers from other countries that are working on similar projects.

Postsecondary Education

Educational requirements vary by profession. Engineers, scientists, designers, and transportation planners typically have bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields. They may need master’s degrees for managerial positions.

Engineering technicians typically have associate’s degrees in automotive technology engineering or engineering technology.

Vehicle service technicians typically have completed some kind of formal training program in automobile mechanics, usually a minimum of two years. A wide variety of such programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, independent organizations, and manufacturers.

Many of the jobs in an automotive plant are classified as semiskilled or unskilled positions, and people with some mechanical aptitude, physical ability, and a high school diploma are qualified to do them. However, there is often stiff competition for jobs with large automakers, especially those that produce green vehicles, which often require a more advanced skill-set from workers. Therefore, if you have some postsecondary training, certification, or experience, you stand a better chance of getting a job in the automotive industry than someone with only a high school diploma.

A small, but growing, number of colleges and universities offer classes, certificates, and degrees in alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technology, green manufacturing, and other related fields. The U.S. Department of Energy offers links to educational programs in clean energy at http://energy.gov/eere/education/education-homepage. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council also offers a list of colleges and universities that offer biomass ENERGY education programs at its Web site, http://www.irecusa.org/workforce-education.

The U.S. Department of Energy has established Graduate Automotive Technology Education Centers of Excellence to "provide a new generation of engineers and scientists with knowledge and skills in advanced automotive technologies." Visit https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/education-and-workforce-development for a list of schools.

Many green transportation students participate in an internship with a related employer while in college. The internship allows them to explore potential career paths, gain experience, and make valuable contacts, which may come in handy when it is time to look for a job. The U.S. Department of Energy offers links to information on internships, fellowships, and scholarships at https://www.energy.gov/eere/education/eere-career-resources.

Other Education or Training

The Renewable Fuels Association offers continuing education opportunities at its National Ethanol Conference. The American Planning Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Electronic Drive Transportation Association, Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association, Industrial Designers Society of America, National Society of Professional Engineers, and SAE International also provide continuing education opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.