Exclusive: Green skills gap holds back net zero goals
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
A growing "green skills gap" is akin to the shortage of tech workers at the onset of the 2000s Internet boom, according to a new analysis from OnePointFive first shared with Axios.
Why it matters: The report spotlights a human resources challenge to achieving a net zero future. It shows the gap stems from a "hiring and skills misalignment."
Zoom in: It finds that companies are too focused on finding experienced and and skilled "unicorn" sustainability professionals instead of training workers internally while looking for external hires with diverse knowledge.
- Between 2022 and 2023, green talent in the workforce grew by 12.3%, but didn't keep pace with the 22% rate of growth in job postings that listed at least one green-related skill, the report finds.
- OnePointFive co-founder and CEO Neil Yeoh told Axios many of the needed skills aren't broad sustainability or climate science and policy, but data analysis, supply chain management and carbon accounting.
- The research includes insights from more than 30 industry expert interviews, LinkedIn green skills data, and feedback from climate professionals, including OnePointFive Academy graduates.
What they're saying: Yeoh told Axios that adding micro-credentials to current or incoming workers can improve a company's ability to reach net zero targets. He noted it might also affect the skills that companies seek in new hires.
Yes, but: OnePointFive's mission aligns with the findings. It aims in part to train sustainability workers to close the green skills gap through courses similar to coding boot camps for IT workers.
