GREEN4WORK: Why Green Skills Make It Easier to Find a Job

Green skills are very important for finding a job today because the ecological transition is pushing companies to adopt sustainable practices in order to remain competitive, innovate, and comply with new regulations.

At the same time, there is a strong shortage of professionals with expertise in sustainability compared to market demand. This means that people who already have green skills are highly sought after and have a much higher chance of finding good employment.

Both companies and workers are moving towards a greater awareness of the environment and the value of green skills. This creates a positive connection between the two: companies can keep their position in the market, respect regulations, and find qualified workers, while individuals with green skills can more easily find satisfying jobs. It is beneficial for both sides.

This idea is also supported by the LinkedIn Global Green Skills Report 2024, an annual report that analyses how the labour market is evolving towards sustainability. The report shows a growing gap between the demand and supply of green skills. In 2024, the demand for workers with green skills increased by 11.6%, while the supply increased by only 5.6%. As a result, people with green skills are 54.6% more likely to be hired. Moreover, 20% of jobs requiring green skills will remain vacant by 2030. Looking ahead to 2050, this percentage may rise to 50%.

The Green4Work Project

For these reasons, the GREEN4WORK project was created. The project is supported by the European Commission and is inspired by important European and international documents, such as:

• the Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022,

• the European Training Foundation article “Green skills and the future of work” (2021),

• UNESCO’s publication “A global framework for micro-credentials”.

What do we mean by “green skills”?

Green skills are the knowledge and abilities that enable individuals and organizations to work in ways that reduce environmental impact, save resources, and promote sustainability,while meeting sustainability goals that are now part of everyday business practices.

They are often seen as something linked only to environmental jobs or highly technical roles. In reality, they are much broader and increasingly relevant across many sectors, including services, administration, logistics, manufacturing, and digital work.

Let's take a closer look at some of them:

1. Understanding sustainable workplace behaviours 

   For example reducing waste, separating waste correctly, saving energy, avoiding unnecessary printing, choosing more sustainable materials, and organising work in ways that reduce environmental impact.

2. Using resources more efficiently 

   For example, planning tasks carefully can save time and energy, while choosing sustainable materials or optimizing production processes can reduce waste and costs.

   The goal is not only to cut expenses, but also to make work processes more efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, benefiting both the organization and the planet.

3. Adapting to new processes and standards 

   Many companies are changing their procedures to follow environmental regulations and sustainability standards. A person with green skills can easily understand these new rules, adapt to updated processes, and apply them correctly in daily work.

4. Applying digital tools that support greener ways of working

   For example, moving from paper to cloud-based documents like Google Drive or Microsoft 365, companies can significantly reduce paper waste. Video calls and collaboration platforms such as Zoom or Teams minimize the need for travel, cutting fuel use and emissions. Even energy-monitoring apps in offices or factories can track electricity use, allowing organizations to reduce unnecessary consumption while saving costs.

A Key Question: How Can Green Skills Be More Accessible to Unemployed People?

In Europe, many training opportunities related to sustainability already exist. However, they are often too theoretical, not suitable for adults, or, even worse, they do not lead to real job opportunities in the short term. For unemployed people, finding a job is the main motivation to start learning again.

GREEN4WORK starts exactly from the real needs of the people that partners work with every day.

The project focuses on four main objectives:

• Strengthening green skills to respond to the growing demand for sustainability in the workplace

• Developing digital skills as tools to support greener ways of working

• Ensuring inclusive access, especially for people from disadvantaged backgrounds

• Introducing recognised micro-credentials that make acquired skills visible and valued

GREEN4WORK works not only on training content, but also on the learning format, the recognition of skills, and their real value in the labour market.

It is also important to help unemployed people understand that gaining green skills does not mean changing career completely, but updating their experience to stay relevant in a rapidly changing job market.

What Makes GREEN4WORK Different from Other Training Approaches?

GREEN4WORK aims to be:

• Practical, focused on skills that are really used in workplaces

• Flexible, with short, modular learning units that can be combined over time

• Recognisable, thanks to micro-credentials and digital badges that certify specific skills and create a direct link between learning and employability

• Accessible, through an online learning platform

The development of the training curriculum, the pilot workshop, and the GREEN4WORK e-learning platform is already in progress.

Why Follow the GREEN4WORK Project?

GREEN4WORK is different from many other training projects. It is more concrete, it listens to the real needs of people who need realistic job opportunities, and it helps workers stay updated with what today’s labour market requires.

GREEN4WORK has just started its journey. The project brings together partners who work daily with unemployed adults to design training solutions that reflect real workplace expectations, not theory. Its focus is on skills that matter for finding work in a labour market shaped by sustainability.