A new study by Deloitte concludes that ‘green’ skills and jobs are no longer limited to the traditional ‘green’ areas of the economy and that there is a transition of workforces from unsustainable sectors to new functions.
The demand for “green” jobs is increasing worldwide, according to the Deloitte report “A Blueprint for a Green Workforce Transformation“. One of the biggest increases (8%) was recorded in the UK between 2021 and 2022, while total employment in the country rose by just 0.5% over the same period.
“As the UK transitions to a green economy, our understanding of what it means to be ‘green’ will undoubtedly evolve,” reads the study. For this reason, Deloitte worked with a definition of green jobs that corresponds to “specialized functions that focus on specific domains or initiatives dedicated to improving environmental outcomes for an organization or the economy”.
According to the report, green skills are also becoming increasingly prevalent in the workforce and more sought after by companies, according to Linkedin data.
While in 2021 these skills were more common in the traditional ‘green’ areas of the economy – such as environmental services, construction and renewable energy – the luxury, technology, finance and health sciences sectors saw the fastest growth in 2022. “This may indicate that many organizations already recognize the competitive advantages that can result from the early adoption of environmentally positive business models,” explains the document.
The report identified four fundamental changes in the transition to green jobs and skills:
According to data from Hays, a third of companies will need sustainability specialists in the next 12 months, which will represent “a considerable number of jobs, most of them with high salaries”.
The UK government has announced its intention to promote the creation of two million green jobs by 2030 as a key factor in the country’s environmental agenda and regional leveling initiatives.
“We know that eighty percent of the individuals who will be part of the workforce in 2030 are already working today, which means that now is the time to act to develop their skills for the future,” says the research.
According to the study, the UK university environment, adapted to local and global needs, has been offering university programs to promote sustainability for several years, with several British universities offering various courses focused on the area and the more traditional courses promoting the acquisition of transversal skills in sustainability.
British universities offer courses as varied as Environmental Management & Sustainability, Environmental planner, Environmental Sciences with Business Management, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Consultancy, Environmental Engineering or Environmental Humanities, among others.
In the 2019/20 academic year, around 19% of students were enrolled in sustainability-related courses, a quarter of which focused specifically on the green sector.
Environmental and social concerns are becoming a major factor in the job market. The number of people who are leaving their jobs to look for
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