“Green Skills for the Future” – learndirect Launches New Qualifications

learndirect aims to bridge the green skills gap by offering a suite of online courses based around sustainability.

learndirect has tapped into the growing demand for sustainability knowledge and skills by providing a range of online qualifications designed to protect and preserve the world around us.

From Level 3 Awards in community-based conservation and conservation science to ecological mapping and fashion sustainability, the commercial education business has launched multiple regulated courses, with many more to come.

The blended learning Level 3 Diploma Marine Biology and Ocean Conservation Studies is the first ever of its kind to be Ofqual regulated, providing various career options and hands-on experience.

The move by learndirect to capitalise on the sustainability industry is a timely one, with research claiming that only the AI and machine learning profession is growing quicker than the sustainability profession worldwide.

In addition, research claims that globally, the demand for green skills is 40% higher than in 2015, but just 13% of the workforce across the world has developed such skills.

The UK government has taken action to reduce carbon emissions, with its Environment Agency committing to reach net zero by 2030, while the entire country is aiming to be net zero by 2050.

This signifies the growing demand for green skills across all industries, with green jobs in 2022 growing around four times faster than the rate of the overall employment market in the UK.

The professional, scientific, and technical services sectors are the most prominent when it comes to green jobs, according to research, with more than 110,000 green vacancies being advertised in those industries.

Wayne Janse van Rensburg, Group Chief Executive Officer at learndirect, said:

“There is no doubt that the demand for green skills is growing, with many keen to enter this rapidly expanding industry to support a sustainable society. We here at learndirect are ready to answer this demand by providing a wide selection of regulated courses that are designed to help learners develop green skills for the future.”

Dr Nick Askew, Co-Director of learndirect’s Sustainability Faculty, added:

 “With businesses increasingly adhering to sustainable measures and the UK government planning to achieve a net zero target by 2050 by decarbonising all sectors in the UK economy, it’s important for the workforce to develop green skills to better preserve our environment. We’re delighted learndirect is providing a range of online sustainability courses that reach a wide demographic.”

Meanwhile, studies show that job searches for green skills have grown into double digits, while businesses are beginning to value sustainability professionals for executive and technical roles.

The suite of sustainability courses has joined learndirect’s robust portfolio of online qualifications that cover a wide range of industries, from academic and healthcare to dental nursing and fitness.