Green careers need to be made more visible and accessible if the UK is to transition to a low-carbon economy and meet its ambitious net-zero target by 2050, according to new research involving the New Forest National Park Authority.
The report, produced by researchers at the University of Southampton, Swansea University and Cardiff University, in partnership with the New Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) and Greenprint, a regional partnership promoting green growth, explores the views of careers advisers, employers, local authorities and environmental organisations in the Hampshire and Solent region and sets out practical recommendations on how more people can be encouraged into green careers.
The research found that while demand for green skills continues to grow, many young people remain unaware of the range of opportunities available. Participants said stronger partnerships between education providers and employers, better careers guidance and more paid work experience and apprenticeships would help create clearer pathways into the sector.
The findings are now acting as a catalyst for a programme of collaborative work between university and regional partners to turn those recommendations into practical initiatives that improve access to green careers.
Jim Mitchell, Access and Learning Manager at the New Forest National Park Authority, said: ‘Many people still picture green careers as working in conservation, but the opportunities are much broader than that. Green skills are becoming part of almost every profession.
‘Giving young people the chance to understand and experience that first-hand is one of the most effective ways to inspire future careers. By working together with schools, employers and community partners, we can help people see what’s possible and build their confidence to take that first step.’
The research highlights four priority areas for action:
- Strengthening education and industry partnerships for green skills development
- Using policy levers for equitable green job pathways
- Bridging the information gap: strengthening green careers guidance
- Expanding access to green careers.
Among its recommendations are creating a regional online hub for green careers, embedding sustainability throughout education, and increasing access to meaningful work experience to remove barriers for young people and underrepresented groups. Partners are now working together to develop and implement these recommendations across the region.
Lead author Dr Emma Rawlings Smith, formerly Lecturer in Sustainability and Geography Education at the University of Southampton, said: ‘Our research found a clear disconnect between the ambition to grow the green economy and people’s awareness of the opportunities available. Closing that gap means bringing different sectors together so that young people can see where green careers exist and how to access them.’
Dr Ashrafunnesa Khanom, Senior Research Fellow at Swansea University, said: ‘Many of the solutions identified through this research are practical and achievable. Better careers guidance, more work experience opportunities and stronger regional partnerships could make a significant difference to how people discover and progress into green careers.’
The research was carried out through the Creating Opportunities through Local Innovation Fellowships (COLIF) programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and brought together academic researchers, regional partners and policymakers to explore practical solutions to local challenges.
Paper:
‘Improving visibility and access to green careers in Hampshire and the Solent’ by Dr Ashrafunnesa Khanom, Dr Sheena Carlisle, Jacqueline Nightingale and Dr Emma Rawlings Smith