Green Careers Week - 2 to 7 November 2026

About the event

It's designed to help teachers, young people, parents and carers find out more about green jobs  - jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring the environment and our planet.

The UK aims to achieve net zero by 2050. In West Yorkshire the target is to reach net zero by 2038. To achieve this, and to reduce the carbon emissions that are damaging our environment, we need to use cleaner energy sources like wind and solar power, drive cars that don't pollute as much, and plant more trees that can soak up some of the carbon emissions. 

So, when you initially thought about a green job, you might have thought about one that involves working outdoors, in the environment, such as being an ecologist. However, there are lots of other jobs that involve doing some green work. For example, architects who design energy-efficient homes and motor mechanics who work on electric vehicles.

In fact, many of the jobs expected to grow in the transition to net zero, are those that are related to:

Energy supply - including solar, wind and nuclear power
Construction - including energy efficiency and low carbon heating
Dealing with waste products - everything from recycling to hydrogen and carbon capture and storage
Clean transport - including electric vehicle and battery manufacturing

Why consider a green job?

• Because the number of green jobs has been growing over the past few years. Employment in green jobs was an estimated 27.8% higher in 2024 than in 2015, with around 650,000 people now employed in green jobs in the UK.¹
• It's predicted that even more green jobs will be created over the next few years. For example, in clean energy, it is predicted that the sector will support 860,000 jobs across the UK by 2030 (an increase from 440,000 jobs in 2023).²
• There are green jobs available at different levels - whatever your skills and qualifications.
• Green jobs protect and restore the environment which benefits everyone.

To find out more about opportunities in one type of green job - in the clean energy sector - watch the video below.

Examples of green jobs 

There are green jobs across many different sectors that would suit a wide range of people whatever their skills. Have a look at the jobs below, how many of these jobs have you heard of? 

For more information about these and other green jobs, check out the websites in the 'More information' section below. 

What type of green job would suit you?

To help you find out, you could have a go at The Green Buzz Quiz in the link below. Green Buzz is designed to help you explore green careers that match your personality strengths. You answer questions about four different parts of your personality. There are no ‘wrong’ answers, so it is not a test. At the end of the quiz you will be matched with an animal and see suggestions of green careers and skills that could make the most of your strengths.

https://nationalcareersweek.com/green-buzz

Routes into green jobs

Because there are so many different types of green jobs, there are lots of ways to get one. You could get qualifications that would help you get a green job at school, college, university, or by doing an apprenticeship. 

At school, sixth form or college
There are qualifications including GCSEs, A levels, V levels, BTECs and T levels, in subjects that are related to green careers. These subjects include animal care, business, computer science, design and technology, engineering, English, geography, land-based studies, maths and science subjects.

If you are aged 19+, you could consider doing a skills bootcamp in green skills. Find out more about them here.

At university
If you have, or are aiming to have, level 3 qualifications such as A levels, V levels or a T level, you could consider doing a higher education course at a college or university. There are lots of courses that are related to green jobs. Examples of just a few of them include:

• Climate Science
• Ecology
• Energy Engineering
• Environmental Conservation
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Management
• Global Sustainable Development 
• Sustainable Business
• Sustainable Engineering
• Sustainable Fashion 
• Sustainable Land Management  
• Urban Planning
• Wildlife Conservation

See www.ucas.com for more information about higher education courses.

Apprenticeships
If you prefer learning by doing a job, you could consider doing an apprenticeship. There are over sixty apprenticeships that are identified as being 'green'.  Examples include: 

• Bicycle mechanic (level 2)
• Countryside worker (level 2)
• Nuclear operative (level 2)
• Furniture restorer (level 3)
• Low carbon heating technician (level 3)
• Arboriculturist (level 4)
• Community energy specialist (level 4)
• Data analyst (level 4)
• Packaging professional (level 6)
• Soil scientist (level 7)
• Sustainability business specialist (level 7)

Entry requirements for apprenticeships vary. Usually, for level 2 apprenticeships, you may need some GCSEs and for level 3 apprenticeships, you may need four or five GCSEs at grades 9-4. For apprenticeships at levels 4-7, you usually need qualifications at level 3, such as A levels, V levels, a T level or a BTEC National Extended Diploma. 

You can watch this video which shows different people doing a wide range of green apprenticeships. For more information about apprenticeships, see www.apprenticeships.gov.uk

Green work experience

If you are interested in getting a green job in the future, it’s a good idea to get some relevant experience and to develop your skills. Some ideas of how to do this include: 

• Encouraging your school or college to reduce their carbon emissions. You could create an assembly about net zero, or help to set up a recycling scheme to reduce your school’s or college’s impact on climate change.  
• Doing short free courses online such as through www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue
• Getting involved in environmental projects in your local community. This could include volunteering to clean up a local area or helping to plant more trees. Doing this will not only contribute towards net zero, it will also help develop your skills. You may be able to find opportunities at:  

The green jobs and apprenticeships quiz

Now you have read this article, test your knowledge of how much you have found out about green jobs so far, by doing this quiz from Amazing Apprenticeships below. Click on the image below to take you to the quiz.

More information 

www.greencareershub.com
The Green Careers Hub has lots of information about green careers including job profiles, videos of people who have green jobs, careers advice and webinars. 

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/green-careers
The National Careers Service website has a section on green careers which includes information about free green skills courses if you are aged 19+.

https://greencareersweek.com
The Green Careers Week website has resources, including quizzes, posters and lesson plans, to help schools and colleges to promote Green Careers Week. The website also has a virtual careers fair with links to organisations, such as the Royal Meteorological Society, the NHS, the UK Space Agency and the Environment Agency, who are supporting Green Careers Week and who have produced resources about climate change and green careers.

<sup>Sources
1. www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/experimentalestimatesofgreenjobsuk/march2026
2. www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-energy-jobs-plan/clean-energy-jobs-plan-html</sup>