Green skills are in demand

It is widely acknowledged that there is a growing demand across all jobs for candidates with green skills. We need to train individuals and plug the green gaps for future generations, to prevent demand outstripping supply.

It is evident that certain roles can easily be defined as green, but to ensure that all jobs are greener, everyone will be required to apply green skills in their role. A report by IEMA and Deloitte, A Blueprint for Green Workforce Transformation, identifies four shifts in the transition to a green economy:

View report

1

Expansion of skills and scope in existing specialist sustainability roles

2

Increased need for green skills in non-specialist roles

3

Transition of workforces from unsustainable sectors to new roles

4

Demand for green skills in new green sectors and organisations

For those who want to explore the potential for developing a greener career, we’ve collated a list of key jobs and skills that will contribute to the UK green economy, that are in demand now, or will be in demand in the future. These are separated into different areas, however we should highlight that some jobs do cut across a wide range of sectors.

Buildings

Retrofit and new building design, across commercial, residential and infrastructure

  • Heat pump installation  
  • Pipe fitting  
  • Retrofit coordination
  • Design   
  • Welding  
  • Steel fixing    
  • Surveyors   
  • Cooling system expertise
  • Building information monitoring
  • Energy system design and optimisation
Digital

Use of technologies and digitisation for sustainable analysis and decision making

  • Artificial intelligence   
  • Data analysis  
  • Data science
  • Data collection methods 
  • Cyber security  
Energy & networks

Rapidly scaling up the use and storage of renewable energy

  • Specialist energy installation
  • Offshore environmental services & consenting
Hydrogen, CCUS and oil & gas transition

Exploration and implementation of new energy solutions

  • Material sciences  
  • Hydrogen Power 
  • Carbon expertise
Manufacturing

Large-scale production of more sustainable and circular products

  • Battery manufacturing & operation
  • Machine operation
  • Energy management systems
  • Low-carbon technologies
  • Material efficiencies
  • Supply chain
Professional and financial services

Essential services for delivering more sustainable outcomes across the economy

  • Business planning
  • Environmental law 
  • Sustainability consulting 
  • Carbon auditing & advice   
  • Green finance 
  • Policy & process  
  • Socioeconomics
  • Lifecycle assessment, analysis & reporting
  • Teaching in sustainable practices
  • Sustainable investment  
  • Sustainable procurement
  • Environmental, Social and Governance 
  • Green education
Sustainable land and water use

Balanced management, modification and enhancement of the natural environment

  • Soil husbandry   
  • Urban farming   
  • Tree & biomass management   
  • Conservation   
  • Biodiversity expertise / biodiversity net gain
  • Woodland & peatland planning 
  • Habitat restoration 
  • Forestry remote sensing   
  • Forest carbon modelling    
  • Forest climate adaptation   
  • Agroforestry & silviculture   
  • Ecology  
  • Environmental / ecological planning / management 
  • Town / country planning
  • Water / flood risk management 
  • Drought management
  • Green space management 
  • Ocean management
  • Water management cycle
  • Understanding and responding to extreme weather events
  • Countryside management
Transport

Moving towards green vehicles and encouraging active travel

  • Electrification engineering  
  • Charge point installation & operation
  • Compliance 
  • Transport management
Waste, recycling and circular economy

Keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible through reuse, redesign, repair and recycling

  • Repair
  • Waste prevention
  • Resource efficiency
  • Waste sorting & reprocessing  
  • Recycling   
  • Vehicle scrappage  
  • Circular design

To find out more about the skills opportunities in your local area, browse our map of the United Kingdom.

See skills required in your region

As well as those listed, we are aware that employability & transferable skills are equally important in the workplace, some of which are identified in our IEMA Sustainability Skills Map.

IEMA Sustainably Skills Map

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IEMA is the membership body for environment and sustainability professionals

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