Green jobs: paving the way to a sustainable future

As our demand for sustainability grows, so does the need for ‘green champions’ – the people and the skills we need to deliver those necessary changes.

E.ON

02/08/23

What are green jobs?

Faced with an urgent need to transition society towards a green economy, the world is seeing a shift in how – and where – we work. As we reimagine the future of work and make the shift towards greater sustainability, businesses are prioritising environmental responsibility and creating a range of sustainability-led, eco-conscious jobs roles – green collar jobs, if you will.

From renewable power generation to manufacturing and finance, many sectors stand to benefit from this global shift. LinkedIn's global green skills report¹ notes that workers worldwide are increasingly working to acquire green training and actively seeking to move into green jobs.

According to global staffing firm Randstad, this new-found focus on sustainability heralds the dawn of a modern Industrial Revolution, bringing with it eco-friendly innovations and creating thousands of green collar jobs in the process². 

But where is the boom in green jobs happening and which green skills will be most in demand by organisations going forward?

What green industries are in the UK?

Intriguingly, green energy and renewable power – so solar, biomass, and wind energy – aren't the only industry sectors that look to benefit from the rise in interest in green talent and capabilities. Fields such as construction, banking, and engineering are also seeing a boom in hiring.

Consider the case of motor mechanics, who'll increasingly need to gain the knowledge and experience needed to repair and maintain electric vehicles rather than internal combustion engines as millions of EVs hit the roads worldwide with each passing year. Likewise, architects and builders will have to get comfortable designing greener buildings powered by their own renewable energy sources or shared energy systems, just as engineers must learn how to work with solar panels and new home energy systems.  

Even more traditional jobs will experience a marked shift as green solutions take over. A rising green finance sector, which provides funding for sustainable developments, is also anticipated to fuel a growing shift towards greener jobs. Fields including entertainment, law, real estate, travel, and hospitality are also among the industry areas where workers are rapidly transitioning into green roles. All of which is to say that the future of green business looks bright, as more and more individuals and organisations look to make the leap to more sustainable practices.

Ironically, many green skills are already employed by individuals working in trades that aren't traditionally thought of as being part of the green sector. For instance, working professionals serving as data scientists, healthcare workers, and fleet managers are now actively practising these talents.

New green jobs

After launching a taskforce to support the drive for 2 million green jobs by 2030³, the UK government asserts that every job in the country has the potential to be green⁴; from training engineers and construction workers who are building offshore wind farms and nuclear plants, to the retrofitters who will make homes more comfortable and cheaper to run through greater energy efficiency and new heating systems.

In fact, the UK currently ranks as one of the top countries with the highest concentration of industries that now demand greener job skills⁵, with rising demand continuing to mount across the rest of Europe too.

The fastest-growing green jobs over the past half-decade include roles such as sustainability managers, energy auditors, wind turbine technicians, ecologists, solar installers, and environmental health and safety specialists. These new-found roles demonstrate the impact policy has on job growth, significantly reflecting key decarbonising areas of the economy alongside the UK’s leadership in the green sectors.

However, it’s important to note that many more traditional sectors now play home to green jobs, with demand also rising for sustainability-focused energy auditors, facilities managers, and technical sales representatives. Likewise, other supply chain areas such as transport and technology services stand to benefit from increased interest in various sectors as the shift to environmentally friendly practices prompts continued industry activity and transformation. 

Image showing a visualisation of a city in the future

Streets of the Future – a view of how our cleaner, greener cities could look

We’ve worked with the UK Green Building Council to explore how the streets of the UK could look in a future world designed to tackle the climate crisis – absorbing the new technologies and lifestyle changes in our buildings, road traffic, energy generation and even recreation.

Visit eonenergy.com/streets-of-the-future for more information.

What green skills are in demand?

To achieve a truly sustainable future, it’s not just about creating more jobs, but also about building the right skills and expertise in the workforce. In today’s rapidly changing economy, businesses need employees who can adapt to new technologies, navigate complex regulations, and implement sustainable practices in their day-to-day work.

Compared to the global average, the average job in the UK requires more than double the green skill level, reflecting the extent to which the UK economy is ahead of international competitors on green skills⁵. These skills have become a crucial aspect of this transition, offering a diverse range of abilities that can be applied across a range of industries.

But what exactly do we mean when we talk about ‘green skills’? These can range from environmental awareness, auditing, and corporate social responsibility to sustainable design and resource efficiency; all of which are vital to creating a more sustainable and resilient economy. Even in seemingly unrelated industries, green skills are in high demand, highlighting the wide-reaching impact of sustainability on the modern workforce.

Many companies are now more actively hiring for green-minded jobs in larger numbers than traditional working roles. It all adds up to a commercial world that’s increasingly looking to make the jump to greener, more eco-friendly business practices – and one that is actively on the hunt for skilled professionals who can help aid with this transition.

What is the future of green jobs?

The future of green jobs looks promising. Green hiring is at a higher rate than overall hiring, and this increased rate has been accelerated by the pandemic, suggesting that green talent is more resilient to economic downturns than non-green talent⁵.

Many populated areas are likely to be transformed into smart cities – a move towards zero carbon, sustainable communities, creating new, green job opportunities. New innovative, green energy solutions, like our Citigen energy centre in the heart of London’s Square Mile, are already creating new roles – and adapting more traditional roles – in the sector.

As the world becomes increasingly conscious of the need to protect the environment and create a more sustainable future, green jobs will undoubtedly continue to play a crucial role in driving this transition.

At E.ON, we believe it’s time we all take climate action. We're helping our business customers lead the smart and sustainable energy transition.

Find out how we’re creating sustainable cities and communities in our other blogs below:

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^{1. LinkedIn: Global Green Skills Report 2022}

^{2. Randstand: What does Net Zero mean for jobseekers?}

^{3. UK government launches taskforce to support drive for 2 million green jobs by 2030}

^{4. Expert report: every UK job has the potential to be green}

^{5. LinkedIn: UK Green Skills report}

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