Why is there a need for management in the environment and ecology sector?
Amongst the recent developments and failing efforts to conserve our natural resources- Environmental Management courses are finally getting their due recognition. It is almost redundant to say now that humanity is having an adverse impact on nature. A little while ago there would’ve been people debating this but the results speak for themselves.
There is a need for environmental management courses in the sliver of jobs that neither fall entirely in environmental sciences or management. It is the result of taking the best practices of management and managerial tactics and applying them to the former. The possibilities are limitless even with the industry being rather a niche.
In order to limit the impact on the environment. To reduce the unchecked depletion of natural resources and ignorant disposal of harmful waste material that can damage the environment. And to make sure that the firm or company is following the environmental regulations and laws. The need for management in environmental resources is immense.
As evident from above, nature itself is complex. It is made up of all sorts of diverse ecosystems and many nuances and subtleties go into maintaining its integrity. Thus there are a lot of skills and specialized tools and practices that need to be learned. We can dive deeper into it.
Education, Eligibility, and Skills
Genuine care for the good of the environment, paying close attention to the detail, and an understanding of the nuances of environmental resource management are important skills. As are great communication skills, a curious and learning mind along with strong foundational skills in Ecology. To an extent a comfortable relationship with a workplace with high stress.
Environmental management courses are postgraduate level and require a 60% aggregate score in 12th standard and a bachelor’s degree to qualify. The bachelors should preferably be from a business management stream or Environmental resources management stream. Ecology and other environmental fields, in general, are preferable.
Both direct and entrance test based enrollment is possible in these degrees and the course lasts about two years. If a good B-school is to be pursued a national entrance exam such as CAT, XAT, MAT, etc. needs to be cleared with a good result first.
It follows a general semester system and the course fees range between one lakh rupees per year to as high as fifteen lakhs depending on the B-school of choice. There are distance learning and a postgraduate diploma in management as alternative options to an MBA available. But the MBA certainly is preferred by the industry as it meets all the standards.
There are distance learning and MOOC alternatives to a traditional degree. The fees drop as well considerably but the practical knowledge is lower than the traditional on-campus degree to some extent. There are plenty of specializations for Environmental Management. They include Soil Management, Water Management, Biodiversity Management, and many other.
Specialists in one of these particular areas can start their career as Environmental managers in the area they have studied. Depending on the specialization, the work environment, job profiles, opportunities, and salaries vary a lot so they should be chosen carefully.
Future Prospects, Job Profiles, and Salaries
Some of the most approachable job titles are Environmental Professional, Environmental Auditor, Environmental Property Assessor, and Environmental Systems Manager. There are other interdisciplinary jobs that environmental managers can get as well. Environmental management students can also work in NGOs.
There are plenty of opportunities around but they will only rise as time passes by. The global environmental situation isn’t just alarming, it is downright nerve chilling. The polar ice caps are melting, sea levels rising, winters are hot and summers are cold. Future prospects of environmental management jobs are undeniably good.
Working as an environmental analyst, an entry-level job, will fetch you a salary of 3-5LPA. As experience increases then a more seasoned professional can fetch a mid-career salary of 6 – 7LPA. The late-career salaries of Environmental Managers can be as high as 12-15 LPA.
Depending on the type of organization, such as an NGO or a corporate. The salary varies considerably with these parameters. Specializations and pedigree of the college matter as well. A certain degree of patience, perhaps more than the other jobs in needed.
