New LinkedIn data reveals that although demand for green skills is projected to double by 2050, the current supply isn’t keeping up, resulting in a significant skills gap.
Key Insights Included:
- By 2050, green jobs will outnumber qualified professionals by two to one.
- Demand for green talent (up 11.6%) is growing at nearly twice the pace of supply (5.6%) in just one year (2023-2024).
- Globally, job seekers with green skills see a 54.6% higher hiring rate than average.
The Urgency of Upskilling in Sustainability
For those of us working in the sustainability space, these findings aren’t necessarily surprising. We know that the need for green talent is already pressing and will only grow in urgency. At the Academy for Sustainable Innovation (ASI), we believe that education, training, and targeted upskilling are vital to closing this gap and ensuring we meet our climate commitments.
In fact, Deloitte posits that upskilling is no longer optional, especially among younger workers: “When it comes to sustainability, upskilling is no longer a nice-to-have – but necessary if companies want to reach net-zero goals and attract and retain the best talent. This is especially true when it comes to attracting young talent, who not only expect employers to provide training and education to help them stay up-to-date with the changing skill sets, but to put sustainability concerns front and centre.”
Our own research found that younger workers, especially BIPOC participants, are highly cost-sensitive when it comes to upskilling opportunities. To help close the green skills gap, it’s crucial for employers to offer professional development support. Governments and other funders also need to continue to invest in learning opportunities to ensure there is ample supply of free, low-cost, or subsidized training.
“When it comes to sustainability, upskilling is no longer a nice-to-have – but necessary if companies want to reach net-zero goals and attract and retain the best talent.
Competition for Green Talent
With green jobs anticipated to outnumber qualified professionals by two to one, LinkedIn’s report suggests that employers will need to compete for green talent already working in sustainability roles. LinkedIn’s Senior Lead Manager, Public Policy and Economic Graph, Efrem Bycer, summarized the report stating that prior research has shown that “80% of workers entering into green jobs have green skills or prior green job experience.” He goes on to say that “poaching talent is one way to fill talent gaps in the short-term, but it doesn’t solve the widening talent gap that needs to be addressed.”
"Poaching talent is one way to fill talent gaps in the short-term, but it doesn’t solve the widening talent gap that needs to be addressed."
The Need for Unified Standards in Climate Education
We know this is a big challenge. Upskilling on the scale needed to meet climate goals comes with obstacles, like limited resources and making sure training is accessible across different sectors and regions. We’ve learned a lot about these issues during our year-long research project, Upskilling for Canada’s Climate Transition.
Our scan of Canadian climate action courses showed that, while there are more programs available from universities and training providers, there’s still a lack of unified standards. This creates confusion for learners and employers, makes credentials harder to transfer across regions, and leaves unclear links between climate skills, job roles, and training paths.
Upskilling efforts must go beyond simply filling gaps—they require a strategic, long-term approach to building the workforce capable of leading the climate transition. That’s why ASI is focused on creating innovative learning pathways that supplement technical skills with inclusive leadership and collaboration abilities that are needed to steward large-scale climate action.
Looking Ahead: A Collaborative Approach to Upskilling
The green economy is evolving fast, and the workforce of tomorrow will need a combination of skills to thrive—both specialized technical abilities and versatile ‘soft’ (also known as ‘power’) skills that are essential for leading through change. ASI is committed to supporting professionals at every stage of their sustainability journey, providing them with the tools, training, and community they need to make a tangible impact as Transition Leaders. But we can’t do it alone. It will take collaboration across industries, sectors, and governments to build the workforce needed to transition to a sustainable future.
The good news? Those with green skills are already seeing better job prospects, proving that investing in this space pays off. If we can ramp up education efforts now, we’ll be better equipped to meet the challenges ahead and drive meaningful, system-wide change.
Resource
In 2023, ASI, the Resilience by Design Lab, and the Future Skills Centre conducted the Upskilling for Canada’s Climate Transition research project. The project explored the challenges and opportunities of creating a nationwide approach to rapidly upskill climate action leadership development.
Read the full report: https://sustainableinnovation.academy/research/upskilling/
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