Green Gradutes Stuck in the Red

By 2020, the UK is trying to cut it's CO2 emissions by over 30%. The main source of this reduction will be in renewable energy. So why is it so hard to find a job in an industry that should be growing?

I graduated from Warwick University last year with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering with Sustainability. I have got a good degree from a good university, some work experience and a passion for renewable energy. I thought I would walk into a graduate job immediately. I was wrong. Why?

It would be easy to blame others, and there are plenty of excuses. The economic downturn affecting recruitment, lack of sufficient government investment in Clean Tech, etc. There is some truth in this, particularly as it seems to be occurring abroad as well as here in the UK (http://www.physorg.com/news184871563.html).

The harsh truth, however, is that even if we were in the good times, this is a very competitive field. The best candidates need to make themselves stand out. Last week, I received a rejection email (to get any response at all was novel in itself) for an unpaid, three month long internship in central London. This email informed me that there were over 200 applicants for the position! How am I going to build up enough experience to apply for a permanent paid job if there is so much competition for internships?