Why are green skills important?

Green skills are the skills companies need to be able to operate sustainably. As well as the knowledge that can help address environmental problems, employees need practical skills and the necessary competence to apply theory to practice and embed their knowledge in the company. The specific focus is on the areas of renewable energies, environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, recycling and energy efficiency.
For example, if a company intends to install a heat pump for energy production, they need an employee who can support this process. Also, if the company wants to reduce its CO2 emissions, it must be able to identify an effective starting point to achieving the target set.
 

Employers need green talent and sustainability skills

Employers are conscious of the importance of green skills in the workforce, and many of them are searching worldwide for professionals who can ensure sustainable processes and products. According to a 2023 study by the recruitment service provider ManpowerGroup, this search will continue for years to come: 70% of companies are looking for “green” talent and people with mature sustainability skills, especially in the areas of renewable energies, manufacturing, operations and IT. Additionally, 55% of respondents expect ESG standards to be the biggest value benchmark for new workplaces in the future. The study also predicts that around 30 million new green jobs could be created across the globe by 2030.

According to the World Economic Forum, there’s also double-digit growth in the search for employees with the skills to promote sustainability and eco-friendliness. Without these skills, companies will struggle to achieve their sustainability goals.
 

Green skills, green jobs: what’s the difference?

According to the 2022 Green Skills Report, produced by World Skills UK, nine out of ten young people in the UK do not know exactly what green skills are. A more recent survey found that 39% of students questioned had some confidence in what “green jobs” are, but only 23% were confident of what constituted “green skills”. Promoting an understanding of these concepts is crucial to training and recruitment.
“Green skills” can be defined as “the knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a society which reduces the impact of human activity on the environment”. In recognition of the need for such skills, the UK Parliament has produced a report entitled Green skills for education and employment, outlining both the need for upskilling workers and the importance of vocational education and training in order to reach the UK’s goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“Green jobs” covers the specialist roles focused on specific domains or initiatives, dedicated to improving environmental outcomes, whether for a single organisation or the entire economy of a nation. According to a recent Deloitte study, job searches for “green skills” are increasing rapidly, with the fastest-growing demand in the sectors of luxury goods and IT technology. The report predicts that green skills will be in demand beyond specialized sustainability areas: marketing, HR, IT and finance will all become greener.
 


Building a greener workforce for the UK: challenges and opportunities

The shift to a green economy will create jobs within new and emerging sectors. According to Deloitte, the hydrogen sector has the potential to create 100,000 new jobs by 2050 – but the technical skills needed to achieve carbon capture and storage are in short supply. Sectors such as power generation, construction, waste and resources, are likely to see growth as part of the net zero transition, but they are also the sectors with an aging workforce and a lack of diversity.

Other challenges include regional variation with demand for, and access to, green skills development, as well as shifting priorities in government policies, resulting in a lack of investment in training. In addition, public awareness of green skills in the UK remains low.
 

Developing and promoting green skills

The UK Parliament green skills report cited above focuses on opportunities to promote jobs in the green economy, with suggestions including the following:

  • Engaging young people who express concern about climate change and their ability to find fulfilling work, but who have limited enthusiasm for careers in decarbonising sectors
  • Promoting green skills and jobs in education via new qualifications, increased climate literacy, teacher recruitment and training, and careers advice services
  • Engaging with schools to inspire learners and raise the profile of jobs currently seen as undesirable or non-inclusive, focused particularly on learners from underrepresented backgrounds
  • Offering financial incentives to increase interest in taking up green skills training
  • Reliable consumer advice to increase demand for green products, such as heat pumps, which in turn can foster a demand for green skills.
  • In addition, a green jobs framework produced by the Local Government Association emphasizes the role of local government in meeting the UK’s net zero targets, as well as the opportunity for local communities to create green jobs which can also help tackle inequalities. The framework proposes the following principles:
  • A co-designed strategic timeline of investments to at least 2030 to enable places to plan for skills and jobs.
  • The Government should provide data that enables job and skills planning across national, regional, and local areas.
  • Delivery of green jobs and skills should be based on a “local first” principle.
  • Funding, qualifications and training should be aligned to provide a dynamic collective response to the green skills and jobs challenge.