Hampshire, UK: 19th February 2025: New research and an associated survey from Zero Carbon Academy finds that the race to net zero will falter should the increasing gap between green jobs and green skills not be addressed, and with governments seemingly failing or unable to act, it will fall to businesses to respond.
For a sample of the research, download the free whitepaper: Mind the Gap ~ The looming green skills shortfall.
Green job growth rapidly outpacing skills supply
The latest edition of ZCA’s annual research, Green skills: bridging the gap to 2030, finds that green skills vacancies will soar to 241 million by 2030, up from just 67 million this year. However green skills adoption will not meet demand, growing at just 60% over the next 5 years, compared with 260% growth in green jobs. This poses severe implications for key industries and future workforce recruitment. Amongst the sectors most at risk are construction, transport & logistics, and manufacturing, with governments and industry organisations urged to act now by implementing training and upskilling programmes.
A notable global variation in the skills gap, something which will only expand, will see re-location of workers as they move to where demand is, thus some markets risk a ‘brain-drain’ and loss of green skilled individuals. The research also uncovered a ‘green skills shyness’, where workers aren’t willing or are unaware of openly displaying their green credentials, this practice risks masking skills proliferation and could see skilled workers miss out on employment opportunities, or employers place unnecessary expenditure on training. Lauren Foye Head of Reports at ZCA commented:
“We believe that this trend could be due either to individuals being unaware of how critical green skills are, fearing they will be accused of ‘greenwashing’, or unaware of the importance in promoting their industry recognised qualifications. For example, our research found that workers in the construction sector actively list health and safety qualifications, yet there’s very little about retrofitting or environmental compliance even though these green skills will be critical for a transition towards a climate-friendly built environment”.
Zero Carbon Academy provides information, training, and accreditation to organisations seeking to reach net zero, offering analyst reports and industry commentary, alongside educational courses, and consultancy.
For further details please contact Charlie Jones
E: Charlie.jones@zerocarbonacademy.com
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
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