Green Careers Week will be held between November 6-11 this year.
The inaugural event held last year was launched by National Careers Week, with STEM Learning and the UK Space Agency to raise awareness of green careers in every industry.
The definition of what constitutes a green job is still debated. The GCW website says that it includes any job “that help to protect and restore the planet”. https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/green-careers-week. The UK wants to reach net zero carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy by 2050, and the GCW website says that many jobs can make a positive impact in different ways.
“You can also learn new skills in different industries whilst helping to protect the future of the planet,” says the website. “You could work in an industry that directly tackles climate change such as environment, science and engineering. But to make positive changes to become net zero, businesses need people to plan, carry out and maintain these changes. So all industries offer opportunities for green jobs”.
The GCW lists the following roles as examples of green jobs:
- Countryside officers
- Corporate responsibility and sustainability practitioners
- Recycling engagement officers
- Wind turbine technicians
- Business analysts
- Digital marketing executives
- Product designers
- Project manager
- Construction labourers
- Health and safety advisers
- Motor mechanics for EVs
- EV battery technicians
- Roofers to install solar panels
This list includes new roles created by the energy transition, and existing jobs that will have a greener focus because of the switch to Net Zero.
Net zero means that the amount of greenhouse gas taken out of the environment is the same as the amount produced.