Martin Baxter, FIEMA, CEnv – Deputy CEO, IEMA
In the first of our thought leadership interviews, UK Business Climate Hub talked to Martin Baxter, Deputy CEO at the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
Martin Baxter works in the UK and internationally to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future and support people in the development of sustainability skills and green careers.
We asked Martin for his views on how the UK market for green jobs and green skills is evolving, and how we can prepare our workforce for a net zero future.
Here’s a summary of his insightful answers to our questions:
How is the net zero transformation changing the work market?
The net-zero transition requires a whole-economy transformation. That means that workers will have to do things differently and develop new skills as businesses, products, and supply chains evolve.
New jobs will be created in emerging sectors such as hydrogen and carbon capture, storage and use (CCUS).
Opportunities are already being seen across the whole electric vehicle (EV) value chain.
Opportunities range from electric vehicle chargepoints materials supply and batteries, to specific opportunities in the electric machine and power electronic driveline supply chain.
Lower vehicle production volumes, shorter development times, and niche vehicle programmes all require engagement with suppliers with lower costs. There are opportunities here for SMEs who are able to take on product design and product validation.
In addition, the growth of sustainability and ESG in the finance sector has led to a sharp increase in demand for people with sustainability skills.
Is our workforce ready for a net zero future?
The reality is that it’s in early stages.
80% of the workforce of 2030 are already in work today across the UK economy. We need to enhance the skills and capabilities of this existing workforce, as well as prepare young people to play their role in the net-zero transition.
If unaddressed, this significant skills shortage will compromise the net zero and wider green transition and result in a failure to achieve statutory targets and international obligations.
What are the main changes in the market for green jobs and skills?
Research carried out to inform our IEMA/Deloitte Blueprint for Green Workforce Transformation report and toolkit identified four key shifts that are underway in the market for green jobs and green skills.
These four shifts are:
1. Existing specialist sustainability roles are expanding in skills and scope
Demand for sustainability professionals has risen dramatically. Lack of capacity was frequently mentioned as a problem for sustainability teams.
This encompassed:
- demands from leadership to own the growing sustainability agenda
- the need to upskill people across the organisation
- the ability to provide input to discussions on specific problems faced by other business functions
Sustainability professionals are being expected to respond to technical, analytical and complex challenges and opportunities across a range of environmental topics.
The elevation of sustainability professionals to executive positions means that they also need skills in strategy and communication in order to contribute to top level decisions.
Sustainability professionals are being elevated to executive positions and this has increased demands on leadership.
2. Increased need for green skills in non-specialist roles
Increasingly, successful organisations will need every team member to have some level of green skills to be effective in their role in a sustainable economy.
The research highlighted that green skills are being developed in Research and Development (R&D), product design functions and at leadership levels above dedicated sustainability roles.
Richard Naylor, Group Sustainable Development Director at Hypnos Beds
“From material impact, biodiversity, end-of-life circularity and greenhouse gas footprints, through to social impacts, I am constantly evaluating my understanding of the subject matter and ensuring that I can design, develop and launch force-for-good products that are also commercial and economically viable.”
Read the full case study on the Green Careers Hub.
In public sector organisations, green skills are particularly strong in policy, and estate and property management functions.
Finance, which is likely to take responsibility for non-financial reporting and understanding of environmental sustainability in the context of investment and business cases, is the function where skills gaps were most prevalent.
3. Transition of jobs from non-sustainable sectors to new roles
The UK labour market is already experiencing a workforce transition from high carbon to low carbon industries.
While aviation and vehicle sectors are transitioning within their own industries, workers in some companies and sectors that are highly dependent on fossil fuels are concerned that their roles are being disrupted.
However, many have transferable skills which can readily be applied in green industries, such as installing wind turbines or cable jointing at wind and solar farms.
4. Demand for green skills in new green sectors and organisations
Significant investment in both hydrogen and CCUS is outlined in GOV.UK’s Net Zero Growth Plan, published March 2023. This illustrates the shift in demand for green skills in new green sectors and organisations.
Both these sectors will require a wide range of technical skills and significant increases in capacity and capability as the technologies are scaled up in the period up to 2030 and beyond.
A key challenge is ensuring that there is sufficient capacity and capability in the economy to drive forward with the changes needed and capitalise on the opportunities.
Ultimately, we need to inspire the next generation to channel their passion and understanding about climate change and environmental degradation into career choices where, through the world of work, they can be an active part of the solution.
How can we train our workforce in green skills?
There are a number of ways to enhance the green skills and capabilities of your workforce, often building on existing skill sets.
Hiring apprentices is a great way to upskill your workforce for a greener future. Options range from low carbon heating technicians and installation and maintenance electricians, to environmental practitioners and sustainable business specialists.
Nevin Rose, Undergraduate Environmental Consultant, WSP
“I think doing an apprenticeship is the best decision I’ve made so far in terms of my career. Also working in sustainability has been a good choice; the sector is changing and expanding so much with increasing awareness of the climate emergency and related issues.”
Read the full case study on the Green Careers Hub.
You can also recruit from people who’ve been on a Skills Bootcamp where “green training” includes electric vehicle maintenance and heat pump technology.
In some parts of the country, local providers are linking Skills Bootcamps with professionally recognised qualifications such as the Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability and Environmental Management launched in Cambridgeshire.
There is also a wide range of courses aimed at awareness raising for employees – including The Carbon Literacy Project and IEMA’s Environmental Sustainability Skills for the Workforce.
Other more in-depth courses include IEMA’s Pathways to Net Zero and the IEMA Diploma in Sustainable Business Practice.
What support can IEMA’s Green Careers Hub offer?
Research with businesses, educational partners, and government departments demonstrates high demand for encouraging and supporting people into green careers.
IEMA developed the Green Careers Hub to provide a range of resources which are useful for employers, including:
- job profiles of people working in different ‘green’ roles
- insights into key sectors that will be critical to the transition to a sustainable future
- video clips of people sharing their experiences and showcasing green jobs
- insights into learning and support for people developing their skills
- career pathways – whether you’re looking towards your first job, or you’re a ‘career-changer’ looking to apply your existing skills in a cleaner, greener context
- links to live job opportunities
Are we moving quickly enough to close the green skills gap?
There is widespread recognition that green jobs and green skills are an important focus in the net-zero and wider environmental transition to a sustainable future.
However, planning this workforce transformation is just getting started at national level.
The pace of change that is needed means that all organisations should be developing and supporting the talent pipeline so they can thrive in the future.
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