Keeping Skills Evergreen

In the same way that the Covid-19 lockdowns forced a digital transformation almost overnight, the climate emergency will exacerbate the need for green skills. But do we really know what we need? Robert West suggests some principles for a future skills policy to ensure it remains appropriate for the emerging green agenda.

I have a theory that if Covid had not impacted upon us in such a dramatic way then the digital transition would not have progressed so quickly. Up until that point there were many voices calling for change, but we were not necessarily seeing radical change in the use of digital technologies in the world of work. I wonder what event will have to occur to add urgency to the green transition. Whatever it is, there is a danger that when it comes, we won’t have the skills to respond quickly enough.

The new Labour government talk nobly about ambitions to make Britain a clear energy superpower, but we know that one of the biggest challenges facing them is that acute skills shortages exist across many industrial sectors, including those job areas that are most needed to deliver their ambition, such as construction workers, plumbers, and installers.

Green Skills have now replaced Digital Skills as businesses biggest skills challenge

Green Skills have now replaced Digital Skills as one of the top answers I get when asking businesses where their biggest skills challenges lie. Just as I have asked the question, “you say Digital Skills, what exactly are these digital skills you require?” It’s even more the case that there seems a lack of consensus around what is meant by ‘Green Skills’.

So, let’s start with some definitions. This is how I understand the key terms.

Green skills are the knowledge, competencies and abilities needed to support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

This is different from Green jobs, which are those occupations in areas of the economy which are engaged in producing goods and services to support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

Together these are the elements needed to make the shift towards an economy that is not based on fossil fuels and overconsumption of natural resources…the so-called green transition.

A CBI report last year calculated that the ambition to reach net-zero emissions involves more than 20,000 businesses, and the transition to a greener economy is bringing jobs and investment to parts of the UK experiencing industrial decline.

I see the drivers for the green transition as coming from three main areas:

• Technological progress: as prices decline for renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and batteries due to economies of scale and technology improvements, their adoption has been increasing and will continue to increase.
• Financial imperatives: Investors are drawn to low-carbon sectors, recognising their long-term viability. This financial shift encourages companies to adopt sustainable practices and invest in green technologies.
• Young People: The rise of climate awareness, especially among younger people, is exerting pressure in businesses and governments for climate action.

The green transition is the economic growth opportunity of the 21st century, with research from the CBI showing it could deliver as much as £57 billion to the UK economy.

As a global transition to a greener economy evolves, the demand for skills increases. In many respects all jobs will require an element of green skill whether your job is with a business working in nuclear power generation or if you find yourself working in town planning. As the transition takes hold, green skills will be found everywhere to a larger or lesser extent.

At a recent webinar in took part in as part of Net Zero week, I was suggesting three principles for a future skills policy to ensure it remains appropriate for the emerging green agenda:

1. Develop a baseline

Do we know where the skills gaps are? Is there an analysis of prevailing industry trends that can pinpoint the precise green skills required within each business, each sector, each region? And do we know what transferable green skills employees already have?

2. Embrace Training

Upskilling and reskilling are the biggest games in town. Most people who will lead the green transition are already in the world of work. They could therefore be the blockers

or the makers of the green transition, especially those at leadership and management level.

3. Foster Collaboration

Developing those skills that will enable the more challenging problems to be resolved cannot be solved by businesses, training providers or government alone. There is a need therefore for greater collaboration and partnership between all stakeholders to ensure everyone plays their part.

The aim is not to make every job a green job but to enable every person to thrive in the new green economy. In practice, this means treating green skills, and skills in general, as part of every employer and employee’s role. It will be key to the new governments’ success, that we keep skills evergreen.

By Robert West is Head of Education & Skills at the CBI