Green Careers Week is an opportunity to highlight the jobs of the future that investment in the green economy can bring forward over the next three decades. In fact, across the UK, there are estimated to be 1.18 million new jobs set to be created in the green economy. Early identification of the skills that will be needed to fill these jobs will be critical to the success of the green sector.

It is also important to use this week to highlight that green careers do not have to centre around science and engineering. There is a wide range of different jobs and skill sets needed to deliver on the climate agenda. This will be in everything from construction and the materials and design of buildings and homes, through to working in the natural environment, transport, aviation and technology to name just a few.

Green careers are not limited to big technology companies either, as local authorities are responsible for preserving woodland and local ecosystems, while charities and museums such as the WWF and Natural History Museum are some of the largest advocates of Green Careers Week.

Polling from the BBC in 2021 suggested that as many as 6 in 10 young people are worried or extremely worried about climate change. With an increasing number of young people are seeking jobs in new green industries every year, it is clearly one of the fastest growing industries for start-ups, while many established companies are diversifying into greener industries too.

As young people think about possible next steps into a Green job, they may be considering what courses to study at university or what work placements they can undertake to learn more. More and more universities are now offering courses focused on climate change with 13 universities offering over 60 courses that specialise in looking at Global Warming, Climate Change, Environmental Change and Tourism, Nutrition and Veganism and so much more.

Netflix and other major streaming services are continuously running programmes that examine the impact of climate change on the food we eat, the way we travel, the impact on the natural environment and the animal kingdom, as well as looking at how climate change and extreme weather is impacting on migration and people having to flee their country.

As more and more people come to understand what is happening, businesses are no longer able to ignore social issues such as climate change. For businesses, their ability to attract good quality candidates for jobs is often dependent on the extent to which they have good quality internal environmental and climate policies. With a more socially conscious workforce, it is vital that businesses demonstrate their commitment to implement their policies in actions, not just in words. This is in turn creating more job opportunities for people.

To learn more about the Green economy and potential job opportunities that exist, please visit our Futures Hub and type ‘green careers’ in the search bar.