For the second year, UALR will host a Green Jobs Fair from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, to celebrate Campus Sustainability Day. The event is sponsored by the College of Business, Net Impact, and the UALR Sustainability Committee.

Green jobs generally refer to skilled trades that have been retrained to use green methods, materials, and processes.  However, that same re-orientation is happening in professional fields, too.  At UALR, construction management students learn about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), chemistry students  learn about green chemistry, and business students learn about sustainable business practices.

In addition, students can join the Net Impact student organization to help promote sustainability in the curriculum, green the campus, and learn to apply sustainability practices at work.

According to a 2008 report by the Center for American Progress, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act could create 19,534 green jobs in Arkansas and decrease the state unemployment rate to 3.9% in two years.  According to a 2009 Green for All report, 3,707 of those green jobs would be in the Little Rock metropolitan area with an estimated 683 green jobs for college graduates.

The Green Jobs Fair will be held in Donaghey Student Center, Ledbetter Rooms B&C.  The Green Jobs Fair is free and is open to all UALR students and to the public.  For more information, ualr.edu/sustainability.