Education And Skills Development For Climate Change Job Opportunities – An Employers Perspective.

The global threat to climate change is not new, indeed the effects of carbon dioxide on temperature was first identified in the 1800’s. The second half of the 20th century delivered increasing scientific concern as a result of changing atmospheric levels of greenhouse gasses and the resultant practical experience across the Earth of negative climate effects. These range from increasing extreme weather events to the single reality of a rising global temperature. Images of reducing sea Ice in the poles and melting glaciers is sadly now commonplace.

In the 21st century people and politicians have increasingly come to terms with this and we now see global accords such as the 2016 Paris agreement that commits to action that will reduce emissions and ensure a safer future for humanities children.

The UK has signed the agreement and the UK government have enshrined action into law through , amongst other rulings, the 2008 Climate act. How are ‘’you’’ responding to this in education and how are ‘’we’’ developing the skills required to be able to action the vast array of work that is required in coming decades to ensure a sustainable future for the generations that come after us. To examine this question is the purpose of this piece.

In the UK, climate change prominence has risen in recent years and current government surveys identify some 75% of the population are concerned. In young people concern is generally recognised as higher. In an OECD study 2020 some 78.4% of young people globally were aware of climate change. When asked can they do something about it, that dropped to 57%. Solutions recognised were actions on personal behaviour. The concept that ‘’they’’ could work in a career that would be part of the solution did not appear to register in the pole.

We find in our business, and with multiple organisations that I have been lucky enough to work with over many years, that our population are concerned as the studies show but then are lost as to what to do in terms of practical action. Be this an actual job or simple mitigation measures (the classic turn the lights off and ensure they are low energy).

Why? Interestingly a recent National union of teacher’s survey found some 75% of primary and secondary teachers ‘’don’t feel equipped to teach climate change’’. And of course, we parents whilst we care are equally ill equipped to know what to do or how to inspire our children to action.

What’s needed to help in regard to this?

Health warning – these are very much a lay man’s thoughts. They come from a long term community and industry involved person who was inspired to action by a sense of moral responsibility, as a parent and human being who is part presiding over what is increasingly being dubbed as potentially Earths 6th mass extinction, not wishing to be too dramatic!

Standard education. Whilst it is great to hear that a new Natural History GCSE is being introduced to help with climate understanding. My response after the initial rush of pleasure was to feel a pang of concern. WE – the whole population – need to become net zero and thus to teach just a segment of the next generation, whilst a good thing, continues the status quo of people simply not ‘’understanding’’ and ‘’getting it’’.

So- my observation is that ALL subjects need to incorporate some form on climate and sustainability learning into the curriculum so that WE all get the basic messaging. That messaging then needs to link to the actions people can take to empower and inspire the changes needed both at home and in the workplace.

Careers input. The current energy industry is practically made up of mostly aging males. For example, 50% of current gas engineers are over 50 and a mere 0.4% of these are female. For years, and our family has been guilty of this too, parents have encouraged their children to think of career success as being a degree and then a job aspiration that includes a blue collar.

However, the reality could perhaps be different. How could success not be anything better than putting your working week efforts into a job that directly helps our collective future by delivering climate change action. In our case that is renewable installation, but don’t forget, renewable companies require skills through the spectrum of all competencies – Marketing / sales / IT / Operations / architects / surveyors / lawyers and so on.

Availability of Practical skills across the country – how many of you struggle to find a plumber / electrician or builder when you want one? And how many of you draw a deep intake of breath when you are told what said job is going to cost. Practical jobs can offer a great pathway in terms of career progression coupled perhaps to a healthier outdoor lifestyle. Be it a manual job or more broadly in a green company– what an opportunity for young people to not just think about switching the lights off at home but to have a whole career that cares for their and their children’s future.

The employment opportunity is also huge – For example, the current UK policy trajectory we will see a 5-fold increase in the level of solar panel installation and a 20 fold increase in the number of Heat pumps. There are 29 million homes in the UK plus commercial and community buildings, the majority of these will require retrofitting to meet net zero. National grid has suggested there could be some 400,000 energy related jobs and CITB (construction industry training board) think some 30,000 new jobs will be required per year to support retrofit.

So – I would push education establishments to inspire green sector jobs especially blue but also white collar. It is work that does good and also pays the bills whilst giving career progression.

Client and workplace ready – As a generation, me included, we talk a lot about ‘’work/life balance’’ so it’s probably little wonder that the evolving generation are hearing that message and wanting the same from an even earlier age.

However, there is a ‘’balance’’ to maintain. Our experience and it is routinely discussed from county business board to employer groups at the DOE is that there is often a lack of ‘’work ready’’ understanding from those leaving education.

To be successful in one’s job it does take energy and commitment. The expression ‘’Rome wasn’t built in a day’’ exists for a reason – it can take years to master a subject and be ready for the next rung of the ladder. Here we often find school leaver or graduate recruits turning up late, wishing to leave early, wanting leave without booking, trying to work with one hand on the mobile phone, the list continues… is simply very hard for employers.

Another ‘’skill’’ shortage appears to be around client centred and colleague skills. It’s important to have communication skills – I’ll leave it at that.

So – I would encourage an important part of the curriculum to include these work ready and life skills. I have a feeling our kids had a lesson called ‘’learning for life’’ perhaps that is the slot for it?

Faster training – The employment model of ‘’cradle to grave’’ is significantly less common. The speed with which net zero policy must happen if we are to abate the worst effects of climate change calls for a rapid upskilling and job creation (e.g., the 20-fold growth in heat pumps from now to 2028!). Both factors, coupled to what has been an unfortunate ‘’roller coaster’’ history with Government policy to date leaves us employers in a bit of a dilemma. The sector needs team members that can thus productively contribute to the business whilst they are with us, and we need them to be able to contribute now. Current apprenticeships and other courses can take years to fully train and then gain sufficient practical experience to fully contribute and frankly with the three issues mentioned this is not helpful.

So – I would be urging educational establishment to work out how to give more rapid or modular training that could help get people operating safely and with the relevant skills sooner.

Sector and technology specific – The last point links neatly to another brief but perhaps obvious issue in current education. This perhaps more relevant to further and adult education. The renewable sector as an example needs installers that are qualified to nationally recognised standards. I would recommend that they comply always to MCS (micro generation certification scheme) as a minimum. In this way a trainee is targeting the learning to be able to ‘’hit the road running’’ with the right skills to deliver the right quality work. Currently the training market is quite disparate and often manufacturer led. The normal qualifications of heating engineers and electricians get a nationally recognised qualification, tick, but mostly have not had experience in the training of renewable technologies and thus need training up once in a role. They will of course be able to re wire a kitchen or install a bathroom – but this distracts from what the industry needs and is perhaps off-putting to someone who wants a career in the clean tech’ world.

So – let’s develop specific courses that are to industry standard (MCS for example with renewables) to help inspire the much-needed workforce for the clean sector. For example, the emerging ‘’low carbon heating technician’’ apprenticeship.

For all competencies of a growing business and sector – Currently the renewable sector mostly consists of a small number of very large companies, a slightly larger number of SME’s but is predominantly made up of relatively small businesses often referred to as ‘’one-man bands’’. Overall, there are currently only 2,400 MCS registered companies in total across the country, compare this to some 76,000 companies listed on the Gas safe register!

As climate change awareness and the desire to act has grown, coupled to emerging national drivers on policy (e.g., Feed in tariffs and clean homes grants) the renewable sector has been growing. Recently with an escalation of broad Govt policy (COP26, Ten-point plan) linked to massive shift in energy pricing, there has been a significant increase in renewable installations across the country and the trend can only continue. As the sector expands, employers will all need team members that include many other competencies in addition to the installation aspect of the work. It would be highly advantageous if people applying for these roles already had a background and understanding of the low carbon sector. As mentioned, roles in – Marketing, sales, operations, service and maintenance, stock control, surveying, law to name just a few.

So – If sustainability was included across the board in all subjects at all education levels, then it would really help the employability of people wishing to join the sector and would really help the sector to scale up to the challenge/opportunity presented.

Policy – Finally, for any business to invest and grow its stakeholders need to feel confident. For any person, young or old who is considering joining a sector or specific company they need to feel confident there is a future for them. This has certainly been the situation in our business since leaving college some 32 years ago (yikes!).

Earlier in the article I referred to UK and global policy recognising the need and putting into agreement and law the need for action on climate change and Net zero. The UK Govt have been quite a leader on several areas in this respect. As an example, the country routinely has over 50% of our electricity coming from low carbon sources.

However, there is a but. The actions agreed have often lacked specific and suitably long terms policy and budget to be able to deliver to the overall level required and further, the policies that are introduced more often than not are relatively short term. For example, the recently introduced Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to encourage heat pumps. There are currently circa 30,000 registered heat pumps installed per year in the UK. The govt declared aim is 600,000 by 2028. However, the ‘’BUS’’ has only sufficient funding for business as usual and is for only 3 years.

I do not have experience in education but have heard that this can sometimes be an issue in education policy and funding. For education and climate needs to align, we are talking about a change in emphasis on the general curriculum to drive climate understanding and specifically the detail of what people can do, in terms of joining the clean sector and across all employment routes. We are talking about adapting existing training courses that then include Net zero aspects. We are talking about sector specific and time focused courses whilst conscious of the urgent need to accommodate a more mobile work force.

Many of these changes will inevitably be relatively slow to fully implement and the change proposed is often significant and thus will require time, finance and confidence for all involved to invest in set up / training / delivery and so on. As stated, this requires certain and longer-term policy drivers.

So – My ask would be that Government, education and the relevant industries work together, with a commitment to longer term thinking which delivers specific policy around clean sector jobs to give the impetu for the appropriate training provision to emerge.

The two images presented in the text represent what I have attempted to explore here and were used in a presentation at the Westminster Education forum earlier in the year. They may help bring the words to life.

Society has an opportunity to turn the existential threat that is climate change to a much more positive advantage by creating a cleaner and fairer society. In doing this we can build on the three threads of sustainability – Environment, Society, Economy.

Ours and the upcoming future generation will require a much deeper awareness of the climate and what we must do to mitigate the changes that are upon us. Those same people will need to include this climate understanding in all aspects of life – ‘’work rest and play’’.

This is where education comes in and how YOU can help. No pressure and happy to work with you on the journey. It’s an exciting and inspiring one – best wishes.

Gareth Williams Founder of Caplor energy and proud wearer of various climate and community related hats.