Evidence on Green Skills

Skills Development Scotland - supported by colleagues in the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Government - are leading on a Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan Pathfinder. 

This focuses on two complementary work packages to deliver on this action.

Work Package 1: Evidence Based Approach to Supporting the Transition to Net Zero. 

This takes a comprehensive and systemic approach to understanding both:

• the demand for skills across the key sectors identified in CESAP as important to the transition to net zero, and
• the current and ongoing investment in skills provision across Further Education, Higher Education and work-based learning looking to meet the identified need.

This approach seeks to assess and provide an enhanced evidence base to allow for the development of an effective skills response, identify any issues and gaps and highlight appropriate areas for current and future focus. 

Work Package 2 : Decarbonisation of Domestic and Commercial Heating Pilots. 

This focuses on the decarbonisation of domestic and commercial heating, chosen because of the primacy of the sector as an early investment programme being delivered through the Update to the Climate Change Plan 2018-2032 . 

Heat decarbonisation is the transition from fossil fuel heating sources to low carbon heat sources. The work associated with this transition is not just about changing heating systems, but also work to the fabric of buildings to improve energy efficiency.  

A focus on this sub-sector allows for a more detailed understanding of:

• the scale and location of the investment driving growth
• the potential volumes and timelines associated with any job opportunities
• the consequent demand for skills. This is turn should highlight the dynamic response required from the skills system to maximise identified opportunities.