Sustainable resources
Geography opens doors to a variety of careers linked to the green economy. Explore roles across the sectors of energy, water and food, focusing on the use of green skills.
Find out how our essential resources are produced, protected and made sustainable for the future and explore the challenges facing global energy, clean water and food security and how geographers help solve them.
From renewables to food production to pollution, geographers have the green skills needed to change the world and you can find out more through our career profiles, resources and event recordings.
This is part of our virtual work experience programme with Springpod, If you haven't completed the module yet, head to Springpod.
Meet real people working in sustainable resources
Explore our range of career profiles, spanning jobs across multiple sectors linked to sustainable resources.
Megan Blyth - Local and Community Empowerment Project Worker
Hear about Megan's work supporting community energy groups.
Clare Waller - Senior Hydrologist, Environment Agency
Hear about Clare's work to manage water resources.
Heather Bond - Environment Planning Specialist, Environment Agency
Hear about Heather's work in water quality, water resource security and planning.
Jess Pearce - Principal Environmental Planner
Hear about Jess's work to undertake environmental impact sssessments for wind energy projects.
Choose Geography Supplement 2025: Career profiles
Explore the 2025 Choose Geography supplement to find profiles of geographers using green skills across sustainability and energy.
Watch videos and listen to podcasts
Listen to our podcasts and watch online lectures featuring geographers working in the water, energy and food sectors.
Use geography: careers in environmental consultancy
Environmental consultants work on a range of issues such as water contamination, water management, emissions and climate change, renewable energy and environmental management.
Environmental justice, food and communities podcast
Hear from David and Luke about their research into environmental justice and sustainable food communities.
Using hydrometric sites and digital tools to manage England’s water resources
Hear how the Environment Agency is using a new digital service and their hydrometric network to manage England’s water resources.
The future of UK agriculture: balancing food security and environmental stewardship
Hear about the challenges and opportunities in UK agriculture amid climate change and policy shifts.
Link up your learning
Use these learning materials and activities to explore how geographers working in sustainable resources are linked to the geography you learn in the classroom.
Working in energy law
Meet Marianne and explore her work as an energy lawyer, and find out more about energy companies that employ geographers.
Geographical careers in food security
Explore examples of local, national and international solutions to food insecurity through examples of job roles across the sector at a range of scales.
Employers to explore
Learn about organisations working in the sustainable resources sector, and discover how they make a difference in the real world.
Water companies such as Yorkshire Water, Wessex Water, Southern Water, Thames Water all employ geographers to ensure we have access to clean and plentiful water supplies.
Dalcour Maclaren are a land and environmental consultancy who work across a range of green sectors including water and energy. They are involved in the Bloxham Sustainability Challenge, where you can put your geographical knowledge and skills to the test via an annual challenge programme.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) are responsible for improving and protecting the environment. They also support our world-leading food, farming and fishing industries. You can view Defra's YouTube channel to find out more about their work.
Zero Carbon Farms builds and operates Controlled Environment Farms, providing a future-proof and sustainable solution for growing.
Trussell are an anti-poverty charity and community of food banks.
Growing Communities is a community-led organisation that works to sustainably feed people in London.
FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors who work to redistribute surplus food from the food industry to charities and community groups.
Additional information about careers in the water, energy and food sectors
Time for Geography have a great video - The challenges of harnessing offshore wind - that explores how geoscientists use their understanding of physical geography to find suitable locations for offshore wind, and what a career pathway looks like from geography classrooms to the renewable energy sector.
Time for Geography have a great video - Achieving energy sustainability: eco-homes, energy sources, efficiency adaptations and challenges - that investigates the challenges of achieving energy sustainability.
British Hydrological Society have a range of career profiles for jobs in hydrology as well as details about pathways into a career with water.
Find out more about the role of a water quality scientist.
Find out more about the role of a policy officer.
Hear more about careers in water resources with the Environment Agency.
Find out more about the role of an energy manager.
Explore Net Zero Careers.
Try other virtual work experience
Why not try some of Springpod's other free virtual work experience modules. Here are some that are relevant to our 'Sustainable Resources' programme:
- Severn Trent Sustainability: Water Industry Virtual Work Experience
- Bring Your Future to Life: Welsh Water Virtual Work Experience
- Empowering Energy Futures: Virtual Work Experience with Siemens
- Decarbonise and Transform: Sustainable Energy Work Experience with Drax
- Renewable Energy Work Experience with Ørsted
- Offshore Wind at RWE – Virtual Work Experience
- Energise Your Career & Develop Key Skills with Work Experience from EDF