Green careers

Find out about green careers. Discover resources and opportunities to help shape your future.

 

A greener future

Sustainability, being green, recycling, environmental issues - these are all topics of discussion on a daily basis. Everybody is encouraged to be aware of the challenges we face with greenhouse gases, climate change and their effects and make a contribution to working towards a more sustainable future for the benefit of the people and the planet.

Green career opportunities are expected to grow in all sectors to deal with these challenges. This could be: 

  • Directly - working in a company finding new sources of energy and renewables
  • Indirectly - in companies with sustainability initiatives that meet government requirements, are socially responsible, and address future challenges.

Use the resources on this page to learn more about green careers and sustainable options and the opportunities that you can access.

Go Green º£½ÇÂÒÂ× 2026

Learn more about our upcoming Go Green º£½ÇÂÒÂ× event, taking place 9 March - 20 March 2026. Find out what's happening across campus and join in with wellbeing activities.

Past Events

Learn more about the past green careers events that have run as a part of Go Green º£½ÇÂÒÂ× each academic year.

Green Jobs and Resources
Discover available opportunities
  • Search green and sustainable Jobs via .
  • : access resources and information for skill development and experience
  • : explore Green careers to match your strengths and personality.

Thinking of a career in Green and sustainability? Visit the Careers Hub to book a careers appointment or book an appointment online.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Rangers

Interested in the Environment and getting involved in Green/Sustainability initiatives? Looking to do some volunteering whilst studying to gain work experience and meet like-minded people? Do you want to develop CV-worthy skills that will enhance your career prospects? There are many opportunities open to you, including local ones.

SALFORD RANGER TEAM VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMME

This is an annual programme, added to on a monthly basis. It includes volunteering opportunities working in the park gardens and civic centre. You can do litter picks and conservation work in the country parks and woods.

Seasonal events, activities and the opportunity to do accredited courses related to the environment are also available.

Volunteering opportunities include:

Horticulture (ongoing) – Looking after the beds in the parks. Available at:

  • Peel Park
  • Lighthouse Park
  • Civic Centre Swinton
  • Ordsall Park
  • Buile Hill (which has a sensory garden)

Conservation (ongoing) - Seasonal tasks in country parks which include cutting back vegetation from paths and grassland surveying. Available at:

  • Blackleach
  • Clifton CP
  • Clowes Park
  • Kersal Dale
  • Kersal Wetlands
  • Three sisters
  • Dukes Drive
  • Worsley Woods
  • Worsley Delph,

Litter picks (ongoing) - benefiting the hedgehogs at Peel Park.

AQA course at Peel Park (scheduled for certain times) - Tree identification and pests and diseases. Designed to help rangers build a group of volunteers to support with tree surveys in the summer.

Other activities include scheduled walks at various times across º£½ÇÂÒÂ× (parks, country parks, heritage areas) which may have specific themes, such as looking at and identifying:

  • bats
  • moss
  • wildlife

The rangers also organise events which cover clean up initiatives and summer family activities.

For further information, . 

To get further details and volunteer for any of the above, email rangers@salford.gov.uk

Sign up to where everything is advertised on º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Ranger Team Events.

Greater Manchester

Environmental and sustainable activities available within Greater Manchester and the surrounding area can be found at:

This includes:

RHS Bridgewater Gardens

The site is being transformed into a valuable place for everyone to visit. Volunteers are needed in all areas for clearing, restoring and replanting.

Northern Roots, Oldham

Northern Roots is creating the UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park on 160-acres of green space. If you’d like to support wildlife and improve habitats, whilst being outdoors and meeting new people, their Environmental Volunteering is now open.

Manchester Urban Diggers (MUD)

Join the MUD volunteer program at Platt Fields Market Garden. Help maintain containers at PATCH NOMA and The Landing or work remotely by helping with marketing, policy creation and community outreach.

The Wildlife Trust

Protecting wild places across Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside; providing homes for wildlife.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Cumbria Wildlife Trust cares passionately about wildlife and wild places. They aim to put wildlife back into the land and seascapes to make Cumbria a wilder county with more space for nature.

The Conservation Volunteers (CVT)

Practical conservation activities in the green spaces of Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

Manchester City of Trees

Volunteering opportunities in tree planting or orchard creation.

Social Adventures

A well-being social enterprise specialising in health, children’s services and social care. They run alongside social businesses such as:

  • childcare nurseries
  • training
  • a community gym
  • forest schools.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ× Community and Voluntary Services (º£½ÇÂÒÂ× CVS)

The volunteer centre in º£½ÇÂÒÂ× offers support for º£½ÇÂÒÂ× residents, organisations, and groups whose services benefit the people of º£½ÇÂÒÂ×. This includes green, sustainable and environmental initiatives.

National organisations (based in the North West)

Forestry Commission England

Volunteering opportunities include practical conservation and helping out at the visitor centre in your local forest area.

National Trust

Support conservation work, volunteer in a stately home or one of the gardens, attend free talks and training opportunities.

Sustrans

Looks after the National Cycle Network, encouraging local people to walk and cycle more. They improve our green spaces for wildlife and inspire young people to get active.

Woodland Trust

Largest woodland conservation charity, dedicated to protecting, restoring, and creating native woodlands.

Canal River Trust

A charity that holds the guardianship of 2,000 miles of canals and rivers, together with reservoirs, heritage buildings and structures, in England and Wales.

RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)

Focused on the conservation of birds and nature. They bring people together who love birds and other wildlife, and who want to restore the health and diversity of the natural world.

Other ways to get involved in Environmental/Green/ Sustainability actions:

MANCHESTER CLIMATE CHANGE YOUTH PARTNERSHIP

They bring together 16–28 year-olds from across the city who are passionate about ensuring Manchester participates in helping tackle climate change. There is a Youth Board and a Youth Network.

Job profiles

Thinking about what green and sustainable careers are out there? These are just some of the careers available. This is a growth area for job opportunities so new career options are continuing to emerge.

Have a look at the .

Or look at these professions:

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Search the Library Catalogue

We have resources relating to Green Careers and sustainability in specific sectors and occupations. Here are our recommended reads:

BLOG: People Working in Green & Sustainable Careers

View  which focus on futures for sustainability, below are a few key blog posts from this page