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A new report from the City of London Corporation is urging investment in workers to help alleviate the green skills gap
The City of London Corporation has released a new report highlighting the need for a skilled and diverse workforce capable of decarbonising the City’s commercial buildings.
The Creating a Skilled Workforce for Central London’s Sustainable Skyline report recommends reforming the Apprenticeship Levy and Section 106 (s106) policies to match the demand for skilled workers and provide increased flexibility for employers.
There are six main recommendations for government, training providers and the wider industry to address collectively:
- Developing new entry-level sustainability training, apprenticeships and upskilling courses for emerging job roles;
- Working with government to set more ambitious green skills strategies for the built environment;
- Investing in attracting diverse candidates to a wider spectrum of sustainable roles across the built environment;
- Creating an easily accessible way to collect and share data on the pipeline of projects and workforce skills shortages, so that the industry can prepare for the emerging skills needs;
- Built environment organisations should develop an environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy to support sustainability operations, retrofit and skills training;
- Promoting the sector’s role in addressing climate change, with wide-ranging career pathways and diverse role models through positive PR and engagement with schools.
Sustainable future
Shravan Joshi, chair of the City of London Corporation Planning and Transport Committee, said: “The built environment is critical in supporting central London’s transition to a more sustainable economy.
"Buildings have substantial carbon footprints, so reducing emissions in the sector will be pivotal for addressing climate change. Ensuring technical education, such as through apprenticeships, offers a range of flexible training routes towards new jobs, which will be essential to delivering on sustainability ambitions.
“I would like to personally invite industry representatives to join the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, read the new report and follow the six recommendations to help us build a more sustainable built environment workforce and reshape the sector.”
More than 300 organisations have joined the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce, including construction firms, designers and education providers. The taskforce emphasises the urgency of addressing the growing demand for sustainable commercial buildings.
Read the full report here.
