According to PwC’s Green Jobs Barometer, the number of green job advertisements is up 118 per cent in the UK from 2021, with London and the South East collectively representing almost a third (32.7 per cent) of all new green jobs. Overall, this means green jobs are growing at four times the rate of the employment market.
As the green sector expands, jobs within the industry are increasing and a growing number of professionals are switching to more environmentally conscious roles. A survey of over 13,400 workers and employers in the UK discovered 51 per cent of workers would consider reskilling into a sustainable job role. A further 37 per cent of respondents expressed an interest in helping organisations across all sectors take on net zero ambitions, and 23 per cent of employers have increased the number of employees specialising in sustainability.
The energy transition will play a key role in the creation of green jobs. As businesses and households look to be more efficient with their energy use, demand for installers, manufacturers and tradespeople involved with solar panels, insulation, heat pumps and other green retrofit technology will surge. However, upskilling across the sector and greater public information is necessary to ensure the uptake of green technology continues to progress.
A switch away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydrogen and nuclear will also lead to a green job boom across the UK as investment into renewables rises. The UK are world leaders in offshore wind, providing growing employment opportunities for professionals interested in making the switch to job roles that align firmly with net zero ambitions. Furthermore, a post-Covid clean energy rebound has led to roughly 40 million people working within the clean energy sector worldwide, meaning clean energy now employs more people than fossil fuels for the first time.
