Sustainability gaps

Future skills and green careers

Building on the discussion around supply chain skills, the conversation turned to whether a rate-limiting factor in sustainable construction was a shortage of green skills.

Another explained that it was an area being address but that there was work to do: “As a business, we’re working with 45 young people aged between 16 and 24 through the Kick Start job placement programme.

We have structured all of the work experience around digital construction, carbon assessment and other novel green skills and the engagement and enthusiasm have been incredible.”

Southampton City Council recently became the first unitary council in the UK to agree a new locally focused partnership agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Green skills are wide ranging
in the industry

We need to create new opportunities, particularly for younger generations who’ve suffered the brunt of the job cuts in retail and leisure. But there is a sense of serendipity here and I’d ask are we harnessing it? In Generation Z, we have a cohort more engaged with sustainability than ever before, but are we signposting them to the green courses and jobs which would secure rewarding careers?

It will see the government department work with the council to fund targeted employment initiatives, and several at the table agreed that green skills should be a focus for future-proof careers.

Where is your business on its green skills journey?

We haven't yet started
We've started looking at how we upskill
We have a formal programme in place
We're ahead of the curve - green skills is top priority for us