Green skills

A 2018 European Centre for Vocational Skills (Cedefop) report, Skills for green jobs: an update United Kingdom found: “There are no national active labour market programmes that focus on developing skills for green jobs/the green economy.” It also found there were no regular UK-wide skills anticipation activities which focus specifically on green skills or jobs and no government-led effort to develop technical and vocational education and training (TVET) provision for new green occupations or for greening established occupations.

It said that since 2010 there have been a number of national skills, economic and industrial strategies produced by the government and devolved governments that have talked about transitions to a low carbon and greener economy. However, it found “much responsibility has been devolved to regions and sectors”. It also highlighted that the UK skills system is increasingly employer-led, while the role of social partners has become weaker.

However, it did find examples of charitable/not-for-profit organisations that offer labour market programmes which create green jobs and support people to develop green skills, and said that trade unions are playing a greater role in supporting the workforce and the transition to a greener economy.