9.2.4 Be Your Own Boss
The final option
is
to
set
up
a
company
or
organisation
yourself. The rewards of
being
your
own
boss
and
being
able
to
directly
follow
your
own
vision
are
weighed
up
with
the
challenges
and
responsibilities
of
running
a
company
in
full,
which
has
the
possibility
of
taking
up
a
large
amount
of
your
time. However in
the
field
of
sustainability
there
is
more
of
a
need
for
innovative
solutions
that
may
not
be
addressed
by
current
companies. In this respect
it
is
feasible
that
many
new
start
up
companies
will
occur
in
the
following
years
all
focusing
on
a
different
part
of
the
sustainability
challenge
not
currently
addressed. If this is
does
sound
attractive
to
you,
it
may
still
be
advisable
to
get
some
experience
in
a
company
that
already
exists
if
not
only
to
see
how
a
business
is
run
and
learn
some
"tricks
of
the
trade."
V3 Power
V3 Power is
a
DIY
renewable
energy
cooperative
that
focuses
on
educational
projects
in
the
field
of
renewable
energy.
Their
main
activity
is
running
courses
teaching
people
how
to
build
small
wind
turbines
using
simple
tools
and
materials. V3 was started by
a
group
of
students (myself
included) from Nottingham
University
that
wanted
to
use
skills
gained
in
their
degree
in
a
practical
and
useful
way. They felt
strongly
about
the
need
for
people
to
DIY
(Do
It
Yourself)
and
have
focused
on
practical
education
and
capacity
building
in
this
respect. The cooperative has
been
going
for
6
years
now,
and
have
worked
internationally
installing
over
15
wind
turbines
and
running
courses
for
diverse
audiences
around
the
world. The services it
offers
have
expanded
to
include
running
practical
and
engaging
workshops
in
schools
about
renewable
energy,
installing
off
and
on
grid
wind
turbines,
technical
services
for
medium
sized
wind
turbines
and
renewable
energy
consultancy.
http://www.v3power.co.uk/
Demand Energy
Equality
This is
a
Bristol
based
group
that
run
workshops
on
building
solar
PV
panels,
providing
a
cheaper
way
of
utilising
renewable
energy
for
low
income
housing. From their
website:
1.To
reduce
the
cost
of
solar
panels
and
enable
low
income
households
to
gain
access
to
empowering
solar
PV
technology
as
there
is
a
growing
divergence
between
those
who
can
afford
renewable
power.
2.To
utilise
the
potential
these
technologies
offer
in
reducing
household
energy
demand.
Energy
demand
reduction
is
possible
when
people
have
a
greater
understanding
and
relationship
with
these
technologies.
The following is
an
extract
from
a
talk
given
by
an
accountant
who
works
in
the
area
of
sustainability
field,
and
his
advice
on
getting
a
job
in
the
field
Careers in
Sustainability,
David
Brent
[4]
I work at Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity that works in partnership with companies and government bodies to create a sustainable future. I believe that ‘sustainability’ issues are already huge and will become more important. We will spending the next decades creating a low-carbon world. Sustainability issues are driving the context in which all of us have to forge our careers. They will dominate your working lives.
I did a Masters in Physics at Exeter College but spent most of my time on what were then known as development and environment issues. I was part of Third World First (now called (People and Planet) and of that first Alternative Careers Fair. Then I had a bit of an alternative careers fail. I didn’t want to be a burden on my parents, and I wanted a solid professional qualification. So I became an accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. My friends accused me of selling my soul; I said I had mortgaged it.
1.You can mortgage your soul (that is, it is possible to use corporates for training and credibility) but you need to be careful you don’t get sucked in, with ever-narrowing horizon and dependent on the salary.
2.Follow
your
passion,
with
an
eye
to
what
your
future
self
might
want.
3.Sustainability
is
an
immature
field,
so
there
is
no
established
career
path
yet.
This
is
both
a
blessing
and
a
curse
– you
can
forge
something
new
but
the
onus
is
on
you
to
make
that
new
path.
There
is
greater
professionalism
on
the
way,
with
specialisms
and
associated
qualifications.
4.Everyone
has
a
choice
about
whether
to
go
deep
and
specialise
or
go
wide
as
a
connector
and
intellectual
omnivore.
Your
choice
will
depend
on
your
skills
and
personality.
5.Internships
are
common
routes
for
credibility.
6.the
normal
rules
of
job
hunting
and
career
development
apply.
1.what
are
you
good
at
and
what
value
is
that
to
anyone
else?
2.what
weakness
do
you
need
to
make
sure
you
get
to
a
minimum
level?
3.how
does
your
next
step
build
the
options
you
want?
Finally…There has always been something to be done. In the last century people fought fascism, rebuilt Western Europe and saw off communism. Building a sustainable word is the task of our generation. It will be tough, but it will also be a great life’s work for us all.