Greenskilling Special Part Two: The 6 Top Greenskills that will be needed

By Fay Capstick

Last week we started our three-part deep dive into greenskilling by covering the basics of what greenskilling is. This week we shall go further by looking at what green skills are going to be essential during the Green Revolution. Then we shall discuss what schools and businesses can do to ease us all into this carbon-neutral future. This will include internal changes within a business and a role that a consultant and project manager may play, as well as the benefit to a business of embracing greenskilling.

Next week in our final part we will discuss the role of green HR management (Green HRM), the green gender gap, what you can do as an individual, why we should embrace this, as well as what Parker Shaw is doing.

Let’s crack on!

Can you tell me the 6 top green skills that will be essential?

The jobs of the future will be different, and we know that from the AI Revolution happening right now, but it will also be changed by the need for green skills. So what are the top green skills that will be needed?

1. Carbon Footprinting: This is vital as it means that the carbon impact of a business or service can be calculated. The skills to undertake this calculation will be vital to the economy.
2. Climate Data Analysis: This skill will be important as data analysis will be needed to understand our climate, how it is changing, and what the challenges are and to help decision-makers in their work with accurate calculations.
3. Engineers: It is expected that one of the big growth areas will be in engineering, as engineering and innovation will be extremely important in developing strategies to accelerate the UK’s green transformation. They will design the things needed to create a circular economy.
4. Sustainability Consultants: These will be needed to help businesses in their transition to a more sustainable way of operating. They will be the person that you call in to help as you start to make your changes. In fact, climate action planning is considered to be the current fasted growing green skill.
5. Environmental Law: This is more relevant to larger organisations, but there will be many opportunities for those with knowledge and training in environmental law. This will ensure that all regulations are met by businesses.
6. Operation Management Skills: These cover how your organisational structure will need to change to support green activities.

Those who have green skills are considered to be up to 29% more likely to be employed.

How do schools come into this?

Green skills will need to be taught in schools so that future school leaders are equipped with the knowledge they will need in the future workforce. Businesses need to create apprenticeships in green skills that schools can point students towards. The government can play a part here by encouraging businesses to set up apprenticeships. The earlier that children can learn about green careers, the more options they will have.

One area that schools could focus on is science. The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation believes that science is essential to innovation, in particular physics and chemistry.

What can businesses do?

The main thing that businesses can do is be proactive. Generally, the UK is not moving fast enough to meet the demand for green skills, which will slow down the pace at which society can become net zero. Overall this will also hinder the growth of the economy. Worldwide it is estimated that 1.47 billion jobs rely on the climate being stable, something which is currently in turmoil.

Any support that employers can give is helpful. This can include upskilling the staff they do have to help close the skills gap. This is important because if those staff then move on they can take those skills with them and help another business. There will be online courses that can help meet demand. Governments could introduce incentives for businesses that invest in green upskilling.

The key to green skilling is making sure that your business understands the environmental and societal consequences of its decisions, and works towards minimizing the impact that it generates.

What kind of internal green skills training do you mean?

Green skills do not necessarily have to be technical ones, as the needs and requirements of each business will vary. Therefore training needs to be tailored to your business and sector. Outside consultants can advise on the best path for your business if you are unsure, and let’s be honest, most of us are. However, the skills needed aren’t all hard ones there are also soft skills that we be essential, such as creativity and adaptability. This will ensure the success of initiatives to implement a sustainable future and their importance cannot be underestimated.

Can I bring in a project manager and consultant to help?

Yes, this is an option. A consultant may recommend big changes that are needed to minimise the impact on the environment that your business has. This might be outside of the scope or comfort zone of your employees to assess. It is perfectly acceptable to bring in an outside project manager to ensure that your project runs smoothly and to time and budget.

So is this like a transformation initiative?

Yes, correct, exactly that! Just as we saw with digital transformation in the workplace, greenskilling needs to be a transformation that everyone is on board with. It will mean needing to win the hearts and minds of your whole workforce. This can be achieved by making sure your staff understand what will be changing and why, and how they can be involved in those changes. The more everyone understands what is happening and feels a part of the process, the more successful the process will be.

Why will green skilling benefit businesses?

A business that has a strong environmental and sustainable focus will be more appealing to workers. It will show that the company cares about our planet and its people, and therefore it cares about its staff. This means that people will want to work there. It will also improve your brand image.

One of the most important things to remember as we go through the greenskilling revolution is flexibility. Some jobs will be lost and many more will emerge. It is important that workers become flexible in their roles. One estimate puts the figure of new green-collar jobs that will be created at 300 million globally with 250,000 of these in the UK. The more flexible your workforce, the better able you will be to respond to these changes, which will give your business an advantage.

So what should businesses do?

The need for greenskilling is already here and the sooner your business can get started the better. This will give you an economic advantage and put you ahead of your competitors. Furthermore, it will boost your branding, helping you to attract the best staff. Most importantly it will also benefit the environment and help the UK to compete in an international marketplace.

Next week

Next week we will go deeper still and look into green HR management, the green gender gap and what you can do as an individual. Then we shall discuss why we should transition to green skilling, before looking at what Parker Shaw is doing and concluding with our take on it.

Final thoughts

At Parker Shaw we have been at the forefront of the sector we serve, IT & Digital Recruitment and Consulting, for over 30 years. We can advise you on all your hiring needs. If you are looking for your next job in the IT sector please check our Jobs Board for our current live vacancies at https://parkershaw.co.uk/jobs-board.