𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 “𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨”.
Despite excellent research, often accessible, informing public policy, not enough people know about it. The methodology could be replicated for any region or locality in the UK.
UK statistics reveal 400,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and supply chains, with £41.2 billion turnover in 2020. McKinsey projects a £1 trillion global market opportunity for British businesses by 2030, with the Government forecasting 480,000 jobs.
𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 “𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀” 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹
“Green skills” refers to job and skills changes needed for the climate transition across various sectors. While no universal “green skills” exist, certain existing and future competencies will be essential for achieving net zero.
Research commissioned by Skills Development Scotland, and undertaken by the Institute of Employment Research and Fraser of Allander Institute identified three green job categories:
NEW AND EMERGING: Green economy creates unique roles, either novel or evolved from existing ones. Example: solar system technicians who must master both installation and site-specific implementation.
ENHANCED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE: Existing roles adapt to green requirements while maintaining core purposes. Example: architects now need expertise in energy-efficient materials and integrating green technology into building design.
INCREASED DEMAND: Green economy boosts demand for existing roles without significant changes to core tasks, though work context may shift. Example: higher demand for electrical power line installers due to energy infrastructure upgrades.
STEM skills are important for Green Skills. 60% of roles in the UK’s wind energy sector require STEM skills. STEM skills “will underpin jobs that are key to taking forward the green recovery and delivering net zero.” According to the UK Green Jobs Taskforce.
These categories, applied to Standard Occupational Classifications, help estimate employment in each green skills category and inform labour market forecasts.
Scotland’s Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) identifies five key sectors for net-zero transition (Energy, Construction, Manufacturing, Rural Economy, and Transport) and has applied this green skills methodology across these.
Worth a look – as the methodology could be replicated for any region or locality in the UK – https://lnkd.in/euChtUY5
5. Beyond slogans: a grown-up conversation about UK industrial strategy (Article 5 of 5 on industrial policy)
The preceding four articles have sought to build perspectives on the role of industrial development in local and regional economies. In this final article. I tie this together by looking at the role of industrial policy and strategy. The perennial question for the UK:...
