Green Skills OutlookGreen Skills Outlook - UK workforce is missing key skills needed to create a green economy

According to the Green Skills Outlook report published by ScottishPower on 18 January, a large proportion of the UK workforce are missing the skills needed to create a greener economy.

The green skills outlook findings come from research conducted by Economist Impact and ScottishPower’s parent company Iberdrola, who examined the impact of the green transition in nine global markets, including the UK.

Of the 1,000 business leaders surveyed globally, the majority (71%) agreed that green skills outlook are important to their businesses’ operations and objectives, but only 55% are currently implementing or planning to implement green skills outlook programmes among their existing workforce. In the UK, this statistic falls to 51%.

Although there are currently low implementation rates, the Green Skills Outlook found that the majority of business leaders are optimistic about the impacts of the green transition.

According to the report, 68% of UK business leaders agree that the transition presents more opportunities than challenges for their organisation.

63% believe the green transition will create more jobs than it eliminates, with 74% agreeing that the transition will result in the creation of higher-quality jobs.

Following on from this, the report identifies that the green transition will require most workers to acquire green skills, not just those working in explicitly green jobs or functions.

When surveyed, UK business leaders said the top three soft skills they are looking for in the green transition are;

> environmental awareness (48%)

> innovation and creativity (42%)

> teamwork and collaboration (35%)

The report emphasises that organisations who move faster in the net zero transition will gain a competitive edge by attracting a wider talent pool of employees who will have the key skills needed in the transition.

Organisations that are late adopters are likely to face a much more limited talent pool.

60% of UK business leaders reported they believe the impetus for the green transition lies with themselves rather than policymakers.

Despite this, the report concludes that innovative strategies led by governments, educational institutions, and the private sector will be required to bridge the emerging gaps in green skills outlook.

The top three policies business leaders think should be prioritised are: support for the establishment of green skills courses at educational institutions (48%); support for businesses’ investment in up-skilling and re-skilling programmes (46%); and adapting existing work and training programmes for the unemployed to increase the emphasis on and support for green skills (41%).

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