There is limited awareness and understanding of green career pathways in the UK and there are financial barriers to entry into this world of work, while some young people feel green careers are “not for people like me”.
These are the key takeaways from a report published alongside the launch of The Green Opportunities Fund by grocery retailer Co-op and The Co-op Foundation, which announced today it is providing £2 million to unlock economic growth and drive social mobility by supporting a greener jobs pathway.
Challenges referenced in the report risk reinforcing existing social inequalities at a time when demand for workers is actually growing in areas such as sustainable farming, renewable energy, home retrofitting, electric vehicle infrastructure and nature restoration, according to Co-op. It has prompted the organisation to take action and try and turn the tide.
The Co-op Green Opportunities Fund will raise money through the proceeds from the sale of compostable carrier bags at Co-op stores across the UK. It will invest in organisations supporting young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections required to access green careers – the focus is on communities historically excluded from the transition to net zero.
A range of activities are set to be supported by the fund, including training, mentoring, accredited programmes, community-led projects and partnerships with employers, including in food and farming.
The Co-op Foundation said it wants to contribute to “a stronger, fairer and more sustainable UK economy, one in which the benefits of the transition to net zero are shared more evenly”.
Shirine Khoury-Haq, group CEO of Co-op, said: “Like us, young people across the country care deeply about caring for the environment and protecting nature, but too many feel jobs in the green economy of the future is out of reach.
“At Co-op we remain committed to delivering our net zero ambitions and encouraging every community, business and government to play their part. We also remain rooted in our view that talent and skills are distributed evenly across the country, but opportunities are not.”
She added: “That’s why investing in young people’s skills – from rural communities to inner cities – is one of the most important ways we are backing Britain’s future.
“The £2 million investment we are announcing today will help young people build the opportunities and confidence they need to shape a greener, fairer, future.”
Katie White, minister for climate in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, remarked: “I want young people to be able to look at the changes happening in our energy system and think, this could be for me, this could be a career I can build, if I have the right skills.
“There are thousands of skilled jobs coming, and it really matters to me that young people, whatever their background, can see a clear way into them.”
White noted that the Green Opportunities Fund is an example of how businesses can “step in” and provide the the skills and confidence young people needed to get started in green careers.
What were the key findings from the Co-op report?
- There is a clear need to ignite interest in green skills earlier. Prioritising 14–20 year olds addresses a significant gap, as existing provision predominantly targets 16+ groups for specific skills training, with less work done to spark early interest in green careers.
- There is a gap in funds specifically targeted towards underserved young people – including women, young people from global majority backgrounds, young people with disabilities, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Prioritising informal educational pathways is crucial to influence behaviours. Informal opportunities outside traditional classrooms are underfunded and undervalued yet can have greater impact than formal education routes. Community-based, flexible learning environments enable young people to access inspiring, hands-on experiences exploring green skills outside traditional classrooms.
- There is a clear role for one or many organisations to act as conveners of employers, educators, governments, third sector organisations and funders to provide strategic direction to the green skills funding landscape.
- Barriers for young people to enter green jobs are numerous and wide-ranging. The most significant barriers included a lack of knowledge about opportunities, financial barriers, social pressures as well as young peoples’ own identity beliefs that green jobs are ‘not for me’.
[image credit: Co-op]
