Green jobs animation (11-16)

Start the conversation around green jobs and green skills with your students using this short animation. Discover why jobs are changing, the creative ways that they are adapting to meet our net zero target and how core transferable skills, such as leadership and communication, are integral to those changes.

Many jobs are viewed as green jobs already and every job has the potential to become green as the world moves to cut climate change.

Jobs that might not typically be thought of as ‘green jobs’ now need people who think green. From engineers to accountants, and healthcare workers to warehouse staff; changes like these are happening right now across the UK.

You may want to ask the following questions to your students after watching the film:

• What green skills can your students spot in the animation?
• What do they mean in the context of the workplace?
• How are they building these skills in school?
• Why is it important to develop these skills for their future careers?
• Can they think of any other job roles that could become a green job?

The green skills featured in the animation are:

1. Problem solving - the ability to find a solution to a complex situation or challenge, often using analytical thinking to come up with a methodical approach or break a problem down into parts
2. Listening and speaking (Communication) - is about receiving and retaining information, persuading and influencing others, and using critical thinking skills to evaluate different perspectives
3. Aiming high (Proactivity) - is the ability to set clear goals and prioritise tasks to achieve them, as well identifying when to take the initiative instead of reacting to external event
4. Adaptability - is having the skills to cope and thrive in response to changes and challenges
5. Leadership - is about recognising your own strengths in order to best support, encourage and motivate others to achieve a shared goal
6. Creativity - is the use of imagination and the generation of new ideas, and building the confidence to improve these ideas on your own and by collaborating with others
7. Staying positive (Resilience) - is about the ability to use tactics and strategies to overcome setbacks and achieve goals

Next steps

To extend this activity use Your guide to the green jobs of the future and the How all jobs can be more green quick-fire activity with your students. The guide explores the top jobs of the future and the core transferable skills needed to get into them. The quick-fire activity will get your students to discuss how jobs across different industries are becoming green and how existing roles could become green in the future.