Demand for environmental workers is set to increase, and Canada does not have enough staff to fill the new vacancies, according to a newly released report.

According to the Canadian Council of Learning (CCL), demand for environmental employees in 2011 will increase by 8.1%, and there are currently not enough qualified workers to keep up with the rising demand. The CCL estimates that, in the meteorological field alone this year, 3000 vacancies will go unfilled.

“The green economy is an undeniable part of our society and global culture, and it is critical that Canada is prepared to meet this sector’s need for skilled workers,” commented Paul Cappon, CCL’s President and CEO.

ECO Canada estimates that demand in the environmental sector will increase by nearly 40,000 jobs in 2011, reaching over 570,000. Workers will be needed in a range of careers across the industry, including botanists, geologists, oceanographers, landscapes architects, petroleum engineers and pollution control technologists.