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By Wendy Butterworth - Careers & Welfare Manager

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What is a Green Career?

A Green Career is an occupation which contributes to the preservation or restoration of our environment. The Government has set ambitious targets and aims to generate 2 million green jobs in the UK by 2030 (Green Careers, no date).

The Green Industry is a key sector to the local Greater Manchester economy. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have a mission to be “carbon neutral” by 2038. This means changing the way we do things and moving from consuming fossil fuels to using renewable energy and technologies. The aim is to make Greater Manchester more energy efficient, promote the use of electric vehicles and protect the local environment (Green Industries - GMACS, 2022).

But what is a green career?

When you hear the term, you may automatically think it relates to careers such as renewable energy engineer or conservationist, but in reality, there’s no specific definition and green careers exist in every sector of the economy. There’s a focus on sustainability and how industries can become more carbon neutral, for example how to make the clothing industry more sustainable.

Here are some of the careers which are in demand in Greater Manchester. 

Electrical Engineer

They design, develop and maintain electrical systems and components to required specifications. In relation to the Green Industry, this could involve focusing on renewable energy initiatives, or improving transport infrastructure to make it low carbon. There is a focus on developing electrified public transport systems and electrified vehicles, which will impact on future opportunities. This is another highly in-demand role within Greater Manchester.

Project Manager

“Project managers plan and coordinate projects, from inception to delivery; managing resources, budget and people to achieve a desired outcome” (Project manager job profile | Prospects.ac.uk, no date). You could find yourself working in different sectors, such as construction, transport, planning and development within a local authority to name a few. As the UK works towards its carbon neutral targets, big projects need to take into consideration environmental impact and so Project Managers play a key role in ensuring the project meets its environmental responsibilities whilst adhering to budgets and deadlines.

Retrofit

This requires skilled construction workers and surveyors who are knowledgeable in fitting a range of systems and technologies to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. This could be fitting double glazed windows, solar panelling, skylights, upgrading insulation and installing electrified heating. Retrofit doesn’t specifically relate to commercial or public buildings, but also includes homes. Generally, workers enter this sector via traditional trade occupations, but it is advisable to consider the skills employers are looking for, which are currently highly in-demand in Greater Manchester.

Sustainability Consultant

This involves working with businesses and organisations to look at how they can become more sustainable. It requires you to understand their needs, the needs of the environment and to find solutions to their sustainability problems. You could work in a range of industries such as planning and development with a local authority, consulting on existing transport infrastructures to working on coastal or environmental projects. 

Resources

There are lots of resources you can use to help you explore your options on more depth. The British Council have alumni videos, webinar recordings and case studies from people working in this sector around the world. The National Careers Service has lots of information, guides and resources from Green Careers Week which took place in November. Other useful resources include STEM Learning which looks at careers specifically relevant to STEM, and the My World of Work explores different career paths, how these link up with subjects and the different entry pathways into this exciting sector.

The Greater Manchester Apprenticeship and Career Service (GMACS) has information specifically on the local area. They have produced the Labour Market Information (LMI) card below, which is a snapshot of the Green Economy in Greater Manchester.

Download Green Economy Infographic

How can we help?

You can contact the Careers & Welfare team to book an appointment where we will be able to work with you to develop a career plan, which explores the range of opportunities and courses on offer that could lead into a career in the Green Economy. We offer a range of courses both vocational and technical. See view our full range of courses and subject areas available.

Contact us at careers&welfare@tmc.ac.uk for advice, or through our Twitter @CareersTMC or our Linked In page Careers TMC. 

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