A Training Ground for Green Jobs

Q. How did you attract students to your school?

Even in the beginning, we were authorized by the state to give an MBA degree, which is the first step to academic respectability. We were fortunate to have a strong reputation in the business community, from our writing and consulting.

We called up our friends, and they called their friends, looking for people who needed a sustainable business education. People came. Personal trust overcame the newness of our program, and gradually BGI's innovative program attracted more and more people who spread the word to their networks.

See also: Back to College at Midlife

Q. How much does your graduate program cost?

The tuition for the two-year program is $25,980 per year or about $60,000 total, including books and housing.

Q. Where have some of your students found jobs?

One of our graduates is in charge of sustainable development at a major oil company. In the last year alone, she worked on projects that saved a million tons in carbon emissions.

Another one of our graduates led the initiative to bring sustainability into all of Hewlett Packard's materials acquisition. That student went on to work in extending those practices to the entire electronic industry via the industry association.

BGI has several locations and more than 450 graduates worldwide. To learn more about the institute, classes and locations visit their website.