Reading expert joins Government green jobs group

A Reading professor leading collaborative work to enhance climate education for young people has been asked to join a UK Government taskforce for creating green job opportunities.

Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez has led the University of Reading’s work to transform climate education in schools, colleges and nurseries, working with the Department for Education and a range of national partners.

The findings and National Action Plan this has produced led to Professor Charlton-Perez being invited to join the inaugural meeting of the Green Jobs Delivery Group, co-chaired by Energy Minister Greg Hands and E.ON UK Chief Executive Michael Lewis, which took place today (Wednesday 11 May).

It is the Government’s first ever dedicated group for ensuring the UK has the skilled workforce necessary to deliver a green industrial revolution in the UK. It features leaders from business, industry, trade unions and academia to act on upskilling and training the workforce of the future.

Chair of the Delivery Group and Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, Greg Hands, said: “We will need tens of thousands of skilled workers for our clean transition and to boost energy security; and well-paid green jobs will help with the cost of living. Spreading opportunity by levelling up all parts of the country.

“The UK’s most important asset is its workforce. Our new Delivery Group will help us ensure employers have the know-how and employees the skills to drive our transition to becoming the world’s leading green economy.”

The University of Reading has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure young people are being equipped to face climate change challenges in the decades to come, including skills to enter jobs and industries affected by and creating solutions to these challenges.

The University hosted a Climate Education Summit in September 2021, working with partners including the Met Office, youth campaigners, scientists and educationalists. It aimed to explore how education settings could be provided with immediate support, including expertise from university experts, to incorporate climate change information into all subjects.

This resulted in the publication of a National Action Plan, being delivered by the Summit partners and the Department for Education.

One element of this is a Climate Ambassadors Scheme, led by Reading, launched in April 2022. This will connect climate change experts with schools and teachers to provide advice on quality teaching resources, sustainability action and more.

The Green Jobs Delivery Group will support the delivery of up to 480,000 skilled green jobs by 2030 that will be created and supported thanks to government policies set out in the Prime Minister’s Energy Security Strategy and Net Zero Strategy.

The Group was established in November 2020 and published a review in July 2021 into how the Government, industry, education sector and other stakeholders can work together to grasp the opportunities of a green industrial revolution and support businesses with their transition to net zero.