Fewer still want to work in other “old economy” industries – utilities, chemicals manufacturing, and metals and mining.To attract young talent into these industries, companies must take an unvarnished look at their sustainability credentials and take concrete action. Discerning and critical, today’s youth will see superficial rebranding attempts as “greenwashing”.
Already, LinkedIn has observed that job postings in the US renewables sectors are on the rise and could outnumber job postings in the US oil and gas industry by 2023.Many green solutions will emerge at the intersection of multiple disciplines. Sustenir Agriculture founder Benjamin Swan, for instance, drew on construction, banking, robotics and hydroponics to create the vertical farm which grows non-native crops using up to 95 per cent less water for up to 127 times more yield.
While start-ups are more nimble, multinational and legacy companies should also design jobs around problems that need to be solved,NOT ALL GREEN TALENT WILL HAVE TERTIARY EDUCATION On an encouraging note, our research also shows a large proportion of young people are willing to build their skills to join the green economy, opening up opportunities for companies to upskill or reskill these employees for specialised pathways.