Studying green skills is not only beneficial for the environment, it is also essential for personal and professional growth, as well as career prospects.
Whatever age you are, there are opportunities to upskill and play your part in the journey to net zero. There are online resources available for all age groups, as well as specific courses at Essex and regional colleges, universities and other training providers.
Green skills are knowledge, experience, values, attitudes and abilities that support carbon reduction and resource efficiency to increase climate resilience and enhance natural assets. Green skills do not form their own sector, they are relevant to all sectors in the economy.
The Essex Sector Development Strategy identified five growth sectors in the County. These are construction (including retrofit), clean energy, advanced manufacturing and engineering, digi-tech, and life sciences (including med-tech and care-tech).
Construction is one of the fastest but also most established sectors in Essex, employing thousands of residents. Construction roles vary from architecture to carpet fitting.
Roles in Clean Energy appear in various sectors and refer to parts of the economy that focuses on technologies and services that produce energy from renewable sources and reduce emissions
Advanced manufacturing is the use of technology to improve traditional products or processes. Essex has a large advanced manufacturing sector and is a leading UK and European hub for this sector.
Digi-tech is the
provision of digital technology to improve customer
experiences and opportunities, as well as supporting businesses to increase efficiency and productivity.
Essex has a significant cluster of companies in the life sciences and
med-tech sectors.
Med-tech is technology that aids diagnostics, health monitoring
and connected devices. Care-tech is technology
giving people more control over their health and wellbeing.
Logistics refers to the overall process of managing how goods and resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination. Efficient logistics can significantly impact a business’s efficiency and profit, as well as impact on the environment.
The health sector employs thousands of staff in Essex. Doctors and nurses are just one part of the health care story, and there are various other roles that have a green skills focus. For instance, the NHS has sustainability career pathways in its estates team as part of its ambitious to achieve net zero for core emissions by 2040.
Social Care can also make a positive impact on the environment and help Essex work towards net zero. Some roles in this sector often involve coordinating care services while also considering environmental sustainability.
There are various sources of vacancies related to green skills jobs in Essex and beyond. Some large employers have their own recruitment portals, though many also advertise via agencies and online recruitment portals. There are also new and emerging portals dedicated to green green jobs.
