Are you a recent graduate discovering how difficult the current market is, unemployed, worried you might soon lose your job or just feel that your career seems stuck in place? Are you thinking that now may be the best time to re-tool your career? Going for a green MBA, now, while the job market is stagnant may be a smart move; both for recent graduates, currently unemployed (or underemployed) professionals as well as for those who want to forge a path into a career in corporate sustainability. But what is a Green MBA, why is it important and what schools are offering them? These are the questions this post delves into.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced in Washington that the Department of Energy (DOE) will provide up to $750 million in new funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help accelerate the development of renewable energy generation projects. This funding will be targeted to cover the cost of loan guarantees for renewable energy projects and could support as much as $4 to 8 billion in lending to eligible projects, and the Department will invite private sector participation to accelerate the financing of these renewable energy projects.

The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar powered house. The winners of the 2009 competition – the fourth to be held – were announced on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. by U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman. The contest is organized by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and supported by event and team sponsors from the private sector.

Green Dream Jobs and green workforce development consultant Jim Cassio, recently released data that shows the top green job titles posted by employers and in which cities over the past year – during the recession. Despite the fact that there are scores of studies that show the potential for green jobs going forward, many note the dearth of data on current green jobs in the U.S. economy. Green Dream Jobs has collected concrete historical and current data on the job titles employers are actually looking to fill.

The White House announced that the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science will invest $777 million in Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) over the next five years. In a national effort to accelerate scientific advances in critical areas of the new energy economy the United States Department of Energy (DOE) will establish 46 new multi-million dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers (or EFRCs) across the nation.

The U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington, DC-based national nonprofit organization of over 18,000 corporate and organizational members from every sector of the building industry united to transform the building marketplace to sustainability, currently has an opening for an individual with an interest in learning about nonprofit fundraising and management to serve as intern with its Fund Development Department.

The intern will work closely with department staff to research prospective funders; draft proposals, reports, and department communications; assist in fundraising appeals; and support department administration. Training opportunities provided.

The Institute for Sustainable Communities seeks candidates for 2 internships based either in ISC’s Montpelier, VT or Washington, D.C. office. Interns will support ISC’s Program Team and monitoring and evaluation staff on a range of projects, including: 1) developing a U.S.-based program on Climate and Environment; 2) compiling and editing materials for inclusion in a database about ISC’s impact; 3) updating contacts in our database; and, 4) drafting ‘performance stories’ about program successes. This is an ideal opportunity for a college or graduate student who wishes to gain exposure to international development, in the areas of civil society advocacy work and environment and climate programming in the United States and internationally, and to explore a career in the nonprofit arena.

The Program/Office Assistant provides program, administrative and communications support for the various DC-based programs of ISC. The assistant will conduct research, attend meetings, prepare correspondence, presentations, and other communications material, perform general clerical and receptionist functions, and manage facilities, equipment and systems to ensure an effective and efficient work environment. To succeed in this position, the incumbent must be extremely organized, have excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, and be a strategic thinker and proactive problem solver. The person must have general administrative experience and be able to intuitively know and understand work priorities, workflow, and be able to anticipate actions needed to support the programs.