the educator mag May 24 (1) - Flipbook - Page 14
Preparing
students for
a greener job
market
The world we live in today faces multiple crises:
economic, political, cultural and environmental. It’s
hard to predict what the future of work holds for
students in five, 10 or 15 years.
Here are three ways educators can prepare students
for a more sustainable future:
Yet there’s one trend that experts are confident of: we
need more workers with green skills.
1. Short-term: Embed eco-awareness
in daily activities
The shifts disrupting other industries are spurring the
creation of green jobs. As educators, we have a unique
opportunity to equip students with the tools and
knowledge to succeed.
The great green skills gap
There are different definitions of what exactly a ‘green
job’ is. Broadly speaking, a green job is a type of
employment that contributes to preserving or restoring
the environment, sustainability, or the overall wellbeing
of the planet. The opportunity for young people with
the talent for these roles is immense, but many are
missing the opportunity to hone their skills.
54% of learners in 2021 said they don’t believe they
have the skills to work in a green job, and that not
enough is being done to prepare them. Another survey
found that around 68% of kids said they hoped to have
a job which helped the environment, but 71% said they
didn’t know enough about eco-careers.
How can educators bridge this gap?
Adding dedicated green skills courses or classes to
the curriculum may not be the best answer: students
at all stages of learning today are overburdened with
curriculum overload, and their teachers are working
longer hours than ever. However, with creative thinking,
educators can weave green skilling into their lessons,
classrooms and practices.
To instill good habits in learners from day one, add
posters and prompts reminding students about
resource usage with lightbulbs, air conditioners,
water or computers running idle. Put a recycling
bin in the classroom and encourage students to
dispose of plastic, paper and waste separately. For
younger learners, start a windowsill garden and
show how compost can be reused to nourish and
grow plants.
For older students, encourage them to do basic
calculations about their carbon footprints.
Including the latest examples of climate change
solutions in science lessons can help develop a
solutions-oriented mindset and expose learners to
the latest innovations in nature-based solutions,
the energy transition and biotechnology.
2. Medium-term: Show the immense
possibilities of a green career
For many students, the phrase ‘green job’ conjures
images of conservationists, working in fields or
marshes to preserve wildlife. The reality is much
more diverse.
Green jobs span industries and specialties. Some
environmental specialists work entirely in labs,
others out in the wider world, in universities
spearheading research, in non-profit organisations
(NGOs) advocating for change, in parliament
