6 21st Century Jobs That Could Pay Gen Z Well
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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Though climate change continues to pose greater and greater risks to Americans’ livelihood and costs of living, one small positive response is that a variety of new jobs are popping up that didn’t used to exist in the realm of green energy and sustainability.
These jobs might just be perfect for Gen Zers who are coming of age in the workforce, because their necessity may bring stability, and they have the potential to pay really well, too. While some of these jobs might be entry level, others do require extended degrees or certifications.
Here are six 21st century jobs that could pay Generation Z well, too.
Test Engineer for Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Equipment
A job made necessary by EVs are test engineers to make sure that EV chargers meet consumer needs and expectations and are reliable. According to Glassdoor, the median salary for these jobs is around $111,000, though it’s not uncommon for bonuses and even commissions to be added on.
Project Manager for Fleet Charging Installations
For Gen Zers who really want to make a career out of green energy solutions and are willing to pursue a post-secondary degree as well as a project manager certification, in a world where electric vehicles (EVs) are growing in numbers, this job, of scouting and assessing sites for larger fleet charging installations could become in demand very soon. The salary is excellent, according to Indeed, ranging from $160,000 to $180,000 per year.
Green Hydrogen Jobs
Green hydrogen fuel may be the clean energy of the future. The industry is growing, with companies like Plug Power, which makes hydrogen fuel cells already running “clean forklifts” for Amazon. Some jobs within it may include:
Materials scientists: These jobs would revolve around research, development and testing of the hydrogen materials in different use cases. The median wages for these jobs is around $112,000 as of 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Regulatory experts: The field of green hydrogen will need regulatory experts who can both create and help maintain and oversee regulatory practices for this growing field. These kinds of jobs, often called “compliance” have a median annual salary of around $81,000 as of 2023, according to the BLS.
Construction managers: Construction managers are key players in planning, supervising and managing construction projects at all stages. If the green hydrogen industry keeps growing, there could be a huge need for things like fuel cell stacks, hydrogen vehicles and storage equipment, making construction managers quite necessary. The median annual salary for construction managers was $104,900 as of 2023, according to BLS.
Solar Panel Cleaner
For more of an entry-level job that still pays above minimum wage, solar panel cleaning techs can get into the field with no prior experience, for a median hourly wage of around $21 per hour (though it can be higher or lower depending on the area), according to Glassdoor. This is as simple as it sounds: utilizing the correct supplies to clean residential and/or commercial solar panels to improve their efficiency. Because solar panels are often on rooftops or similar, it could involve climbing.
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